Save me
by blackdaisy4U
Summary: Hermione is a ghost and for some unknown reason only Draco Malfoy can see her. Following his every move she learns things about him that she would never have guessed. DMHG. During the war. Alternative ending.
1. surprises

**Dear Fanfiction lovers.** I hope you will enjoy this story. I haven't written anything in a long time.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter, it belongs to the brilliant J.K. Rowling. Also, the part about Hermione not being able to see herself in the mirror, is inspired by a French book I had to read in high school. I don't know the title or the author. Also, I am terrible at French so there is no use in looking it up now after all these years. Just know that that part of the story is not mine either.

 **Setting:** It is the final year of Hogwarts. They don't know about horcruxes yet. Sirius and Dumbledore have died as in the books.

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 **Chapter 1: Surprises**

Hermione has a terrible headache. She feels like someone used a sledgehammer to repeatedly hit her with it on the head. She is lying on the floor of what appears to be a library. She doesn't know which library it is but she is sure that knowledge will come back to her soon. She gets up and feels slightly nauseous and dizzy. Grabbing the nearest bookshelf to steady herself she closes her eyes for a few seconds to regain her balance. She starts to worry a little. ' _What has happened?'_ Hermione thinks to herself. _'Was there an attack? Are my friends okay?'_ Hermione tells herself that she probably just fell asleep reading in the windowsill she was standing next to. She must have fallen off and hurt her head on the ground or one of the bookcases. ' _That must be it_ ', she decides. She opens her eyes again and holds her breath for a moment when she releases the bookcase hoping her legs will work properly again. After a few seconds she realizes that she can stand on her own and let's go of her breath. Hermione looks out the window but she doesn't recognize the view. The library looked out over land, a garden of some sort. She was not in a city. Considering she must have fallen pretty hard it is understandable she doesn't know where she is right away. Hermione looks around but there are no books on the ground. 'Odd' she thinks. ' _If I fell books must have fallen too'._ She starts wondering again but then her eyes fall on a book on the shelf right in front of her. The book looks really old, almost as if it would fall apart when touched. The book is called The History Of Magic. ' _Could it be the first edition?_ ' Hermione feels a shot of joy rush through her, enough to momentarily forget her situation, while she considers this. She has been looking for the first edition ever since she read one of the later copies for the first time, which was right after she found out she was a witch. Hermione wants to grab it, carefully of course, but before she can reach out she is interrupted by someone standing at the very end of this passageway of the library.

"What do you think you're doing here Granger?" a low, masculine voice asks her. Hermione recognizes the voice immediately and doesn't turn around to look at him while she answers him.

"I'm here to get a book Malfoy, what do you think I'm doing here?" She replies a bit snarky.

Malfoy raises one eyebrow. "What makes you think you can just take that with you then?" He asked both confused and irritated.

"It's a public library Malfoy why wouldn't I be able to take it with me?" Hermione answers, equally irritated. She still doesn't turn around to look at him. As if avoiding him will make him go away.

"Where did you get that idea?" Malfoy crosses his arms over his chest.

Hermione sighs. She has had about enough of this, as if hitting head and being unconscious for Merlin knows how long isn't enough. She turns around at last to tell him to sod off but is silenced at the sight of him. He is wearing dark jeans with a simple black V-neck shirt. She has never seen him without either his school robes or a suit. Therefore, it shocks her to see him out in public wearing such a casual outfit and most of all, looking so good in it.

"What are you staring at Granger?" he spat, clearly losing his patience already.

"Nothing, I… I just…" she stammers and feels her cheeks redden as she realizes she doesn't know.

"Forget it. Now get out of my house and don't you dare come back."

Hermione tilted her head. She was not intimidated by his forceful tone. However, she was confused. "Your house?" she asks him.

"Yes my house." He shifts his weight to his left leg and put his hands on his hips. "How did you get in anyway?" He asks. "Our security has never let a Mudblood on Malfoy grounds before."

"I don't know" She tells him and tries to recall what happened once more. ' _Am I really at Malfoy manor? What am I doing here? How did I get here? What day is it?'_ That last question bothers her most of all so she decides to just ask him, with the risk of making an even bigger fool of herself. "What day is it Malfoy?"

"June twenty-first. Why?"

She doesn't exactly answer him she just mutters the date over and over again. She walks past him thinking about the date. ' _What is going on? Why can't I remember anything from the past weeks?'_ Hermione is picking her brain trying to figure out what is going on but she can't seem to reach the memories. It is as if her mind is blocked.

"You're heading the wrong way" Draco tells her and sighs. When she doesn't answer him he decides to follow her. If anyone sees her in his house he will be in big trouble. If his father doesn't kill him then Voldemort certainly will.

"Granger, stop! You're heading the wrong way" He tells her a bit louder but looks around a corner to make sure nobody has heard him. She turns around immediately.

"I'm sorry I didn't know" she tells him absently and avoids his gaze. He stops in his tracks. ' _What is the matter with her? What the hell is she doing in my house and why did she just apologize to me?_ _She has never done that and she doesn't even seem to realize what kind of danger she is in.'_ Draco thought to himself. When she makes another wrong turn he follows her again.

"Just follow me Granger" he grunted. She just nods and follows him still going over possible scenarios in her head.

"Did you have a coat?" He asks her over his shoulder. He was walking in a dark corridor with a long dark red carpet down the middle. On the walls were empty portraits. ' _Perhaps the people in these paintings find this corridor as creepy and depressing as I do'_ Hermione thought.

"I don't know" she answers him in a soft voice. She looks scared. The last time he saw her she wasn't scared, Draco thinks to himself. Angry and determined maybe but not scared, which most people had been in her position. He doesn't want to think about that night and pushes the thought away.

"Here it is" He tells her as they reached a giant white double door with stained glass windows. They are in a large round hall that leads to two rooms on either side, and contains a staircase directly opposite the front door with a corridor on either side leading to more rooms on the ground floor.

"Thank you." She tells him. Again he is shocked but he doesn't have time to think about it because suddenly he hears someone coming.

"Hurry up Granger someone's coming." He looks frightened but Hermione is too late to leave. Mrs. Malfoy descends the staircase opposite the entrance. She looks as if she just came from a business meeting or something in her expensive looking grey suit. Although, considering who she is, she probably dresses as such every day.

"Who are you talking to Draco?" His mother asks him and looks around.

"Excuse me?" Draco raises one eyebrow and looks from his mother to Hermione. Hermione is standing right next to him but his mother doesn't seem to notice her.

"Who are you talking to?" She repeated.

Draco decides to bluff. "Nobody" he tells his mother. He stands frozen as if any movement would make his mother call his bluff.

"Okay then" she answers with a frown. "Lunch is ready are you coming?"

"Yes mother, I will be there in a minute." He replies, still confused about what just happened. Hermione had stayed silent the entire time, unsure what to do or say.

Mrs. Malfoy nods and walks away. Hermione and Draco are both in utter shock. How could Narcissa Malfoy not have seen Hermione? Draco suddenly looks very pale and he looks at her with his eyes widened. He jumps back a little as if she was on fire.

"You have got to be kidding me!" He says to nobody in particular.

"What?" She asks him confused. He walks up to her and tries to grab her shoulders but his hands go right through her. Hermione jumps away from him this time.

"Bloody hell!" They both say in unison.

"Get away from me you freak! What did you do to me?" She yells. Panic is starting to kick in. ' _Maybe this is all a dream'_ she thinks ' _this can't be real'._

"Me?" Draco gasped. "You are the freak here! You're a sodding ghost!"

"I am not a ghost Draco Malfoy do not insult me like that!" She tells him matter-of-factly.

"Good Merlin Granger do you always keep your promises?" Draco mutters more to himself than to her. She heard him nevertheless.

"Yes of course I do, what does that have to do with anything?" she snaps. Recent events were becoming too much for her.

"Forget it" he tells her. If she doesn't talk about that night he certainly won't bring it up again.

"Come stand over here" he tells her.

Hermione hesitates at first but then does what he asks of her. She is standing in front of a mirror next to the door but all she sees is the hallway and the staircase behind her. She can't see her own reflection. It is as if she is not there at all.

"What is going on?" She asks him. Tears are starting to form in her eyes. She starts to nervously shift and look around her clamping her arms around her chest hugging herself. "What has happened Malfoy? Tell me! How did I get here? Why can't your mother see me? Why can't I see my reflection? Why don't I remember anything from the past few weeks?" Tears are now falling from her eyes which makes her feel even worse. She would never want Draco to see her so weak. Yet, she doesn't look away from him and through the tears looks at him with a determined look in her eyes. She needs answers. Draco doesn't know what to say. He is still looking at her with these huge eyes in shock and he doesn't say anything. He just shakes his head.

"Am I dead?" her lower lip is shaking and she bites it to keep it steady.

"I… I don't know. I think so." Now Hermione can't hold back the tears any longer and she starts crying really loudly. She sinks to the floor and sits there hugging her knees. Draco looks around to see if nobody notices her. A house-elf walks by and nods at Draco but he doesn't seem to see or hear Hermione.

Draco looks down at the distressed girl on the ground in front of him. "This is getting too weird for me" Draco tells her and walks away. Hermione stays where she is. She doesn't understand any of this. ' _Why is Draco the only one that can see me? Why am I dead? What happened? If I am dead, then what about my friends?'_ Again she thinks that there may have been an attack. Draco is out of her sight for a minute or two now and suddenly her headache gets worse. Ever since Draco was near her she hadn't felt it anymore but she didn't realize it until he left again and the headache came back. The longer he is gone the more horrible it becomes. She doesn't understand why but she has a feeling that Draco has something to do with it. Her headache was gone away when he was near after all. She starts to run after him and feels her headache slowly drift away again when she nears him. Hermione is thinking to herself that her day cannot get any more confusing.

"Stop following me Granger." He half whispers irritably. He is probably afraid someone will hear him.

"I have to." She tells him.

"Why?"

"I don't know" she answered truthfully.

"You don't know anything today do you?" He snaps but keeps walking and refuses to face her.

"Look Malfoy, don't think I'm enjoying myself. I would rather be anywhere but here!"

"Well neither am I" He tells her. They have now reached the dining room. There is already a plate for him there but it's the only plate on the table.

"Don't you eat with your parents?" She asks him.

"Why would I?"

"I don't know, to talk to your family maybe?" she tells him sarcastically.

"We don't have anything to talk about." He tells her as if it is the most normal thing in the world. He is a bit irritated that she dares criticize him about his habits in his own home.

"I'm sure that's not true" she tells him.

"Will you just shut up Granger? I never asked for you to be here." He finally turns to face her. "You don't know me so stop judging me." Draco gets grumpier by the minute.

"I could have told you that all of those times you judged me in school." She snaps back.

"That was different."

"Different how?" she shifts her weight onto her right leg and places her right hand on her right hip. She even tilted her head and raised her eyebrow to show him she would like to see him explain.

"Granger, you have to leave, go stalk your friends maybe they can see you too."

"You're absolutely right!" Her face lights up as she says it. "We are going to see them tomorrow." She tells him matter-of-factly.

"Wait, we? No way! You're going alone. Go now. "

"I can't! I have to stay near you remember. Just go to Diagon Alley tomorrow so I can follow you." She says almost cheerfully.

"Forget it Granger I'm not going to help you."

"Yes you will."

"What makes you say that?"

"You want to get rid of me right?" She has an evil glint in her eyes. Almost Slytherin worthy he decided.

"Yes." He looks at her with suspicion showing all over his face.

"Well then you'll help me. The sooner we find out what is going on the sooner I can get back to normal."

"You're dead Granger you can't get back to normal."

"We'll see." She sits down on the table and is relieved to find she doesn't go straight through. That would have been embarrassing.

"Well good luck trying to find a way back on your own." He tells her and sits down as well.

"I can't do it on my own I probably can't even turn a page of a book. How am I supposed to do any research?"

"You're forgetting something Granger." He starts eating.

"What?"

Draco took a long pause to finish his bite, perhaps making it even longer to torment Hermione a bit. "It's not my problem." He smirks.

She looks angrily at him but then an evil smile appears on her face once more. "Aren't you forgetting something too Malfoy?" she emphasises the 'you'.

"What?"

"I have to stay near you and you are the only one that can see me. If I don't find a way out of here I will have a lot of free time on my hands and I can assure you, Malfoy, that you will go nuts." She smiled at him, a bit too sweetly.

"Don't count on it Granger. You won't convince me all that easily." He tried to sound confident but the look on her face had scared him a bit, although he would never admit such a thing.

She smiles at him some more. "Oh you will, just you wait." Hermione is very confident she can make him change his mind. After all, Harry and Ron used to be scared to death when Hermione had set her mind to something, or someone for that matter, nobody could stand in her way. She would get what she wanted. He'll take her to her friends and she can listen to their conversations and hopefully find out what happened to her. He looks like he's hiding something but she is fairly sure he won't give up easily. Although she doesn't like to admit it, he is just as stubborn and smart as she is. He won't just give in and let her win. He will fight back.

Draco is starting to worry. ' _What if she is right? Just chatting all day will make me go crazy. I have to get rid of her before she finds out what I did, before she finds out the deatheaters plans, before he is ordered to torture or kill someone, again.'_ He can't let her see what he has become, although he does not admit this fact to himself. ' _Why do I have to be the one haunted by the stupid mudblood's ghost?'_ He looks up at her. She seems to be staring into space, deep in thought. ' _You know why'_. A voice in the back of his head tells him but he shakes it off. He never wants to listen to that voice, even though it is usually right.

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 **Thank you for reading! I hope you like it. Please review. Constructive criticism is very welcome.**


	2. Nothing better to do

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I don't make money writing this, I do it for fun.**

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 **Chapter 2: Nothing better to do**

"Where are you going?" Hermione asks Draco after he has finished his lunch. They hadn't spoken since he started eating. Hermione wonders if he took an extra long time eating to postpone having to deal with her. After all, how long does it take to eat two sandwiches? Not that it would matter, she decides. It is not as if she would just disappear and his problem would be solved. At least, probably not.

"None of your business. Now go away and leave me alone." He grunts while avoiding her gaze and stalking off towards the main hallway they were in before. This is a central point of the house that they would have to go through to go from one room to another in most cases.

"I don't think so. I don't have anything better to do than to socialize with you, you see." She pauses but he doesn't respond. "So far you are the only one that can hear me and see me," she continues.

"Lucky me" he says sarcastically. Draco walks up the staircase in the main hallway.

"Thank you" She answers enthusiastically ignoring his sarcasm. "I never knew you thought so highly of me." If he would turn around he would see her smiling at him. She was mocking him, trying to make the best out of a horrible situation.

Draco turns right at the third floor and walks into what appears to be his wing of the house. Besides the many portraits, which are mostly deserted, there is no decoration to be found. If it were up to Hermione she would put plants or flowers here or there to enliven the place a bit. Considering the house is enormous, it is a mansion after all, and that there is nobody to be seen or heard at all, the place can use some cheering up. Right now it is eerily silent and dark.

Draco walks over to the third door on the left, which Hermione later finds out is his study, and turns around in the doorway, looking at her for the first time since lunch. "This is where I have to say goodbye, Granger. Nobody is allowed in here except for me and my house-elves." Before she can reply he slams the door in her face and walks to his desk.

' _This is going to be fun'_ , she thinks to herself and can't help but smile a little. After all of those years she might finally get back at him. She steps through the wall and walks over to him. Draco is sitting behind a desk that is situated in the middle of the room. He faces the door but is already going through some files and does not seem to notice Hermione. He can't hear her footsteps either since she doesn't really touch the ground.

"I knew you weren't very smart but I never believed you to be this thick." Hermione tells him while she is standing on the other side of his desk opposite him with her hands on her hips. Draco is startled by hearing her voice and Hemione has to hold back her laughter.

Draco refuses to put down the papers in his hands and face her but Hermione can tell he is no longer reading since his eyes are fixed to one spot."What are you talking about?" he grunted.

"I am talking about you slamming the door in my face. Did you really believe a simple door could hold me back? I'm a ghost remember."

"A man can dream can't he?" Again with the sarcasm.

"Sure." She smiles sweetly at him which he misses considering he is still staring at the apparently very interesting point on the papers in his hand. She is enjoying this already. He looks so angry. "What are we going to do today?" she asks him.

"We aren't going to do anything. I, however, am going to work."

"Well, doesn't that sound like fun?" She rolls her eyes but he doesn't see it. He has been trying to avoid looking at her as if she wouldn't be there if he didn't see her.

"Are you going to leave me alone now so I can do my work?" he asks although he can guess the answer.

"No."

"I didn't think you would."

She smiles. "Good. We are finally on the same page here. Do you see what's happening? We're bonding Malfoy. Don't you just love the man up there for giving us the chance to bond?"

"I'm thrilled." Draco replies with some more sarcasm. That really seems to be his go to response today.

"I thought you would be." She tells him, ignoring the sarcasm once more, secretly maybe even enjoying it a bit as it shows her that he is annoyed.

"Look Granger I get it, you're bored, but I have things to do and I can't have you around." he tells her with a sigh and faces her now.

"There is a way to get rid of me." She smiles at him. "You could just help me."

"Never. Now, I am going to the restroom and when I get back I want you to be gone." Hermione detects a bit of a threat in his tone. He leaves through a deep brown oak door on her right, his left. Hermione smiles, counts to five and follows him. She leans against the back wall of the bathroom which is almost as big as her room back at home. She is thankful his back is turned to her. She wants to annoy him but hasn't exactly thought this plan through.

"Any luck?" She asks him.

Draco jumps a little and quickly zipps his pants. "Granger!" He grunts. He was clearly startled. "Haven't you heard of privacy?"

Hermione ignores his question and asks him as she plays with a loose curly strand of hair "Do you believe in god Malfoy?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" he flushes and walks over to the sink to wash his hands.

"Just answer the question."

"No, I do not."

"Well I do," she tells him "and your privacy has been gone since the moment that man up there decided that you would be the only person to see and hear me in my current state."

He doesn't answer her. He decides he is going to completely ignore her from now on and walks out the door passing her without looking at her. After a moment she follows him. "You can end this Malfoy." She tells him again. No answer. "Why don't you just help me?" she pleads. No answer again. She sighs. "As you wish" she walks over to the big black leather couch by the window and lays down on it, shifting a couple of times to find a comfortable position. It looks like she might be in there a while. She needs to come up with a game plan. She needs to figure out what has happened to her, if her friends are okay, if Draco truly is the only one that can hear her. Surely she can't be stuck with him forever can she? Hermione is so busy thinking about her situation and her friends that it doesn't even come to mind what Draco might be doing? They are still in school and with a family like his it is hard to believe he would need a job next to his school work. What is he doing spending his summer working?

After about five minutes Hermione asks the blonde Slytherin, who is sitting at his desk with his back towards her: "What are you trying to hide Malfoy? What are you trying to keep me from finding out? Are you keeping secrets from me?"

"I am keeping many secrets from you Granger."

Hermione gasps mockingly. "It talks." That shuts him up immediately and he turns back to work. Hermione sighs and keeps talking. He doesn't answer her. He tries to put up a spell to silence her but it doesn't work. Three hours later Draco is exhausted. He has been working, or at least trying to, and listening to her at the same time, even though he wanted to ignore her. He just couldn't. He knows she wants to get a cat since Crookshanks has died the year before. He knows she wants the cat to be male, she believes they play more with toys and stuff. He knows that she wants the cat to be black, or white, or anything as long as it isn't red because she doesn't want to be reminded everyday that Crookshanks is gone. He knows her favourite colour and favourite food. And more stuff like that he never even wanted to know about. Her rambling of random thoughts stop when a house-elf comes in.

"Mister Zabini is here to see you young master Malfoy" The little elf tells him and looks at the ground.

"Send him to my living room, I will be with him shortly." He answers without even looking up from his work.

The little elf nods and retreats quietly.

"You disgusting pig!" Hermione shouts at him and jumps from the couch. "That little elf is scared to death for you! What is wrong with you?"

He ignores her while he organizes the papers he had been working on before. He walks out the study to meet Blaise in the living room in his own wing, followed by a Hermione who can't shut up about the rights of house-elves.

"Draco, my man!" Blaise greets him.

"Hello Blaise." He answers walking towards his friend who had already taken a seat in a big leather chair, one of the two that were opposite each other with a small, round, wooden table in the middle with a teapot and two cups on top of it.

"Look what was in the papers today!" Blaise tells Draco and throws the paper towards him. Draco catches it and unfolds it. On the paper he sees a huge picture of Hermione on the front page. The headline says: 'Has the Golden trio been cut down to the golden duo?' Hermione sees it and forgets all about the house-elves right away, for now at least. Some things are simply more important. Draco quickly tears off the page, folds it, and shoves it in his back pocket.

"Hey! I want to know what it says!" Hermione yells in his ear. "Don't be an ass Malfoy, let me find out what happened to me!" Hermione stands in front of him to block his way but he walks right through her. This was unpleasant for both of them. Like being struck by lightning or something, Draco imagines. Both make a mental note to avoid that in the future. Draco doesn't answer her of course, he wouldn't with Blaise in the room. Blaise would think he had gone mad.

"Who cares about them? You owe me some money." Draco tells his best friend to change the subject.

"Yeah, I got it." He takes out his wallet and hands Draco a stack of bills. Hermione doesn't care about the money. She just wants to know what the paper says about her and her friends. Draco sits down opposite Blaise in the second leather chair.

"Just spread out that page on the table so I can read it myself!" Hermione shouts at Draco but he ignores her again and starts pouring tea for Blaise Zabini and himself.

"They are duelling again tonight. Care to take another bet?" Blaise asks his friend, he has no idea that Draco is listening to two people at the same time, which isn't easy.

"Sure, I'm not the one losing my money" He smiles. It seems weird to Hermione. She has never actually seen him smile. If you don't count the many evil 'I have a nasty plan' smiles. She finds it kind of nice.

"Not this time mate, I'm pretty sure I'm going to win this time. Same bet as always?" Blaise takes a small black notebook from his inside pocket of his blazer.

"Sure" Draco answers, still ignoring Hermione pleading with him to show her the paper.

"Fifty galleons?" Blaise asks to verify it.

"Sure" Draco shrugs as if it is nothing.

Hermione has to blink a couple of times. "Fifty galleons? You have that much money to waste?" She asks him. Draco smiles at her. Blaise doesn't notice it because he is writing it down. Apparently he makes these kinds of bets a lot, judging from the full notebook in front of him.

Hermione has Draco's attention so it seems like the perfect time to ask about the newspaper but he goes right back to ignoring her. "Please let me see the article. I deserve to know what happened to me." Draco disagrees, apparently, as he is still ignoring her pleas.

"Please please please please please please please please please..." She continuous but he just ignores her and focuses on Blaise. It annoys her how easily he can ignore her begging. Ron and Harry would have cracked already for sure, she thinks to herself.

"It's too bad they lost last week. They were doing so good up until the last thirty minutes." Blaise tells Draco.

"Please please please please please please please please please.." Hermione continues.

"Yeah well, I'm just glad I won the bet. Again..." Draco smirks. Now that is the Draco she remembers.

"Pff" Hermione snorts and starts saying the word please for as long as she can. Hermione realises she is not exactly breathing and can thus hold on for quite long.

"Yeah rub it in why don't you." Blaise answers Draco but he doesn't truly seem annoyed by the fact that he seems to always lose. Tonight's match will be different though. I can feel it."

"Sure you can." Draco laughs. "So how've you been? I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah I've been busy. I met my mother's next husband. He's really annoying but loaded so my mother is madly in love, or at least she seems to be."

"Come on Draco you have got to let me read that bloody article. What do you care anyway you want to get rid of me don't you? I promise I will keep out of your way for the rest of the day if you will just let me read it." Hermione tells him. She is feeling awfully useless.

"It must be annoying to pretend to be happy for her every time she finds a new husband to take money from." Draco answers his friend while ignoring Hermione completely, even though she is now standing between him and the table. He hopes Blaise doesn't notice that he isn't looking him in the eyes. Blaise of course cannot see Hermione standing in between them.

"It is but you get used to it. I like to give them a hard time, it's fun." Blaise tells him and winks.

"Damn it Malfoy if you don't let me read that bloody newspaper I swear I will castrate you in your sleep when I'm back to my normal self!" Hermione threatens him with the most deadly voice she can muster.

Draco laughs and Blaise looks at him like his best friend has just gone mad. "I'm sorry mate, I was just picturing you giving the new guy a hard time." Draco tells him and quickly takes a sip of his tea to recollect himself. He wasn't imagining anything, obviously, but Blaise accepted the excuse. He wasn't quite sure whether to believe it or not but he couldn't think of a reason for Draco to suddenly start laughing and then lie about it so he accepted it.

"Don't you dare laugh Malfoy I am serious" Hermione shouts at him.

The two boys talk some more about Blaise's mother and Quiddich. After a while Hermione decides to just give up talking to Draco now. He doesn't even seem to be bothered by her attempts to annoy him and distract him. It's tiring. She doesn't quite listen to the two boys though, she lets her mind wonder off again to the newspaper and her life up until the point where she can't remember anything.

After a while Blaise decides to leave. "I've got to get going mate; I owe some more people money."

"You have got to stop betting or start getting better at it for sure." Draco snickers.

"I guess you're right but the more husbands my mother steals from, the more money I have to waste. It's not like I'm missing it. I can stop when I have to."

"If you say so." Draco answered unconvinced.

"Are we still playing Quidich later tonight?" Blaise asks Draco.

"Of course" he answers. They say goodbye Draco goes to yet another room in his wing while Blaise lets himself out. When Draco hears the door shut downstairs he decides it is safe to answer Hermione again.

"You really do have a great sense of humour Granger." He tells her while he looks at her for the first time since Blaise arrived.

"I wasn't trying to be funny!" Hermione's anger is coming back up again. "Let me read the bloody article Malfoy!"

"No."

"Why not?" Hermione stomps her foot and crosses her arms.

"Because I don't want you to read it." Draco shrugged.

"Why?" She answered confused. "You haven't read it either have you?"

"That doesn't matter."

"If you don't let me read that article right now I'm going to..."

"You're going to what?" Draco interrupted her. "Annoy me to death?" He laughs. The git. How dare he just laugh at her. What did she ever do to deserve to be stuck with him in her afterlife?

"Maybe I will!" She yells.

"Good luck. You're going to need it." He remains calm which pisses Hermione off even more.

"I'm sure I won't."

"Don't forget that you are not the only one that can make the others life a living hell." Draco smirks at her.

"What do you mean?" For a moment she looks scared, but only a moment.

"I can make your stay here horrible if I want to."

"You wouldn't." She tells him, not as convinced as she sounds.

"Are you sure? I am a Slytherin remember?"

She doesn't answer him. She knows he's right. He can make her feel terrible; he has done so, many times before.

Draco continues to walk to his wing of the house and when he is almost there he speaks to her over his shoulder without fully turning around or stopping to see her reaction. "I think I'm going to take a shower" He tells her. "After that I'm sure dinner will be almost ready. You won't follow me into the shower will you?"

Hermione freezes for a moment. She had not thought of that.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading my fanfiction! Please review. The next chapter will be uploaded July 10** **th** **.**


	3. The other way around

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I'm only a fan.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: The other way around**

Harry has been staying with the Weasleys at some safe house the order arranged for them since the start of the summer. Luna and Neville will arrive soon as well. After losing Hermione they figured it would be better if they all stayed together. Ron is sitting on an old leather couch in the middle of a small, dark, and dusty living room that also served as a dining room and study. There were stacks of books and loose papers with notes everywhere. Harry, Ron and Ginny, and Hermione too before she was attacked, were staying there and were ordered to stay put and research anything they could think of that might be helpful and practice spells and making potions that might be useful for the war. There were windows but the curtains were always closed. They were strictly forbidden to ever open them in case of anyone realising they were there by accident. Ron is reading today's paper when Harry walks in.

"You're out early." Ron notes, looking up at his friend.

"Yeah, I went to see Hermione again. I brought some new flowers. It's not like she can see them but I hate not being able to do anything anymore."

"I know. I feel the same. Did you see the paper before you went out?"

"Yes, it's outrageous!" Harry replies. "They shouldn't be putting articles like that in the newspaper! Hermione deserves so much better than that!" He lets himself fall onto the couch next to Ron.

"I agree. We should do something."

Harry sighs. "We can't do anything Ron. We've been over this."

"Yes, we can!" He jumps up. "I can't believe you can just sit there! We have to find out what happened to her!"

"We know what happened to her! She wouldn't listen when the order told her to stay in the house and she got caught. The deatheaters took her. Be glad we found her body. It would have been even worse not knowing whether she was alive or not. At least we know that!"

"Well it's not enough Harry! We have to know more. I have to know more. I want to know exactly what happened to her and who did it to her and I want to make them pay. They have to know that they can't mess with us like this! We can't just ignore it!" he rants.

"Ron…" Harry sighs.

"I think he's right." Ginny tells them. Apparently she has been standing on the staircase behind them listening. "It's time we do something. I can't just wait around anymore."

"Well we can't leave either, except to see Hermione and that's it. It's not safe." Harry argues getting frustrated having the same argument with his friends over and over again.

"It is when we disguise ourselves" Ginny tells him and walks over to them. Now Harry is the only one sitting and his friends are literally looking down on him.

"And how do you plan to do that?" Harry asks her.

"I don't know, with a polyjuice potion maybe?" Ginny shrugs.

"That would take weeks and who would you turn yourself into anyway and where would you get the hairs?" Harry asks her now standing up as well. Ron is taller than him and Ginny is just as tall as Harry is but it is still better than sitting down and having his friends stand over him like parents lecturing a naughty child.

"I don't know Harry, I'm just saying that there must be a way and it's time for us to find it." Ginny places her hands on her hips.

"Do you think that I don't want to find out? Hermione is my friend too you know. But finding out the truth right now won't help her and it certainly won't help us! We have to look at the big picture here. Going out to find whoever did this to her will only get us in danger and it won't bring her back to us. Do you really want to leave her now? What if anything changes and we're away trying to get ourselves killed? Voldemort is still out there and he is still looking for us. He got to Hermione, there is no reason for us to give up now. If anything we have to keep thinking and fight when we can win. We have to win for Hermione and for Dumbledore and everyone else that we lost and we can't do that when we go out now with just the three of us and no idea what to be expecting and no plan." Harry rants.

"We can make a plan Harry." Ron tells him.

"And we're not alone either. Luna and Neville will be here soon and so will the twins. If we come up with a good plan I'm sure the order will back us up. We have to fight sooner or later and I choose now." Ginny tells him.

"You'd rather fight now, even though we are not prepared for what's out there and may lose more people we love, than wait a little longer?" Harry asks her.

"I cannot wait any longer Harry! Don't you see? We're not winning this war this way. The longer we wait the more time Voldemort has to prepare and get his army back together."

"We can't do anything right now besides practicing some new spells or trying to make some healing potions." Harry tells them sternly and looks from one Wealsey to the other. "We just can't." He walks away leaving Ginny and Ron behind. Ginny is furious.

"How dare he just walk away?"

Ron shrugs. "Maybe you should wait just a little longer sis, it's dangerous to do this alone." Ron tells her.

Ginny just glares at him. "Hermione wasn't stupid Ron. If she went out on her own and risked her life she must have had a plan, or some idea. She wouldn't just leave to take a walk in the park or whatever. She knew something."

"You're probably right but nobody knows what it was that made her decide to leave the safe house. She didn't tell anyone anything."

"I'm going to find out. Whatever she was doing might help us." Ginny tells Ron and stalks off without giving him the chance to argue. Ron sighs and sits back down taking another look at the paper before he throws it through the room.

.

* * *

.

Hermione knew that Draco would have to take a shower sooner or later, she just hoped it would be later. Much, much later. "I hope not" she tells him after he asked her whether she would join him.

"You'd better not. I don't want to take a shower with someone like you" He spats.

"You mean a mudblood?" She sounds offended and quite frankly, she is.

"Your words Granger, not mine." He shrugged.

"Oh please, as if you've never used the term before."

"Whatever Granger, just stay out of my shower." He replies.

"It's not like I want to take a shower with a ferret like you! I'd come out smelling worse than I did going in if I would."

"You wouldn't notice anyway. You're a ghost; you can't smell anything."

"I can smell just fine Malfoy." She tells him, and immediately starts to wonder if she can in fact still smell.

"Well in that case you wouldn't want me to miss my shower and give up on my personal hygiene now would you?" He enters his bathroom slamming the door shut in her face, merely for the pleasure of it. She hates it when he does that. She hates having to walk through walls. It reminds her of being a ghost, not that she could forget, but it is worse when something like this rubs the fact in her face. She grunts and steps through the wall before the pain will kick in. She is not, however, prepared for the sight in front of her and turns around immediately facing the door. She holds her breath and counts to ten. Draco was standing with his back towards her, shirtless and about to take of his pants.

"What are you doing?" She asks him, trying to sound normal and calm but failing miserably.

"I'm undressing Granger. It's what most people do before they get in the shower."

"I know that you idiot."

"Stop being such a prude. You're the one insisting on saying in the same room."

"That's it!" She screams happily and turns around to tell him what she just figured out. He faces her too to see what she is making such a fuss about. Hermione clearly didn't think her plan through and finds herself at a loss for words as she sees this god standing in front of her. Her eyes skim his body, her eyes follow a trail along every single one of his toned muscles. He is still wearing shorts and for a second Hermione regrets that fact. Then, she regrets thinking like that. ' _What is wrong with me?'_ she mentally slaps herself.

"Do you need me to turn around to complete the image you are forming in your head Granger?" Draco asks her with a smirk on his face. That comment makes Hermione snap back to reality and quickly focus on his face and his face only. Amusement and pride can be spotted in those icy grey eyes of his.

Hermione clears her throat before saying: "Don't flatter yourself Malfoy. I was merely noticing you're as ugly on the outside as you are on the inside."

"That's not what it looked like from here."

"Oh, just shut it Malfoy!"

He smirks. "You seemed to want to tell me something before you started undressing the last piece of clothing I'm wearing in your mind."

"I was not undressing you in my mind Malfoy. You wish!"

"Don't turn this around on me Granger. You can't safe yourself from this mess, you're face told me everything I needed to know."

"Go to hell Malfoy."

He laughs.

For the first time Hermione notices his arm. The mark on his arm is so dark compared to his pale white skin. She realizes she is staring but she doesn't care.

"You knew it was there." He tells he but stopped laughing.

"Yes, I assumed it would be there. Seeing it makes it much more real though." She almost whispered.

"No it doesn't."

Hermione doesn't feel like arguing. She feels like leaving the room if only she could "I just realized something" she tells him, eager to change the subject.

"Enlighten me" he tells her and leans against the sink with his arms crossed across his still bare chest.

"What if I don't have to be in the same room with you? What if it is just the distance between us that matters? That way I can be on the other side of the wall when you take a shower and it will be okay."

"You should try that." He tells her with a blank face. Hermione cannot read his emotions from his face. _'Is he hurt by my reaction to the dark mark? What else did he expect?'_ She wonders.

"I will" she tells him and stalks off towards the wall the shower was against and steps through it. It works, Hermione doesn't feel any pain. Draco smirks. She doesn't come back to share her revelation with him and after some time he realizes that and he takes off his boxers before stepping into the shower cabin shaking his head and smirking like a bloody fool. He knew Hermione could make his life hell as long as she stayed with him but he now realises that he can indeed do the same to hers.

Hermione is leaning against the other side of the wall with her eyes closed. She is struggling to steady both her breathing and her racing heartbeat. She is so ashamed of letting herself go like that. Now that buffoon will think she likes his appearance. That was sure to keep his ego satisfied for a while. She drags her hands over her face in defeat and walks over to the mirror which is hanging on the wall a few feet away from her. She can't actually see herself but she can feel her cheeks warming up. Great, she is blushing too. Not just blushing, she probably looks like a freaking tomato. "Lovely, just lovely" she mutters as she slides to the floor with her back against the wall. Draco takes his time in the shower, enjoying the warmth and most importantly the quietness. No Hermione around to talk his ears off for the first time today.

.

* * *

.

"Do you always dine alone Malfoy?" Hermione asks him later that evening while Draco sits down at the long dining room table again.

"Usually" he answers.

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"No. It's quicker. You eat and then you get back to work."

"What is it you do exactly? Besides annoying me of course." She asks him, actually interested.

"You know, the whole point of dining alone is not having to chit chat with people. That would be a lot easier when you would just shut up." He tells her but he doesn't seem that annoyed to Hermione.

"You'd better help me then." She smiles.

"What is it that you think I can do Granger?" He sighs. "Nobody can bring back the death. I'm no exception. Ask that boy wonder you're friends with, maybe he can do something."

"If you would take me to him I would love to speak to him. To all of my friends actually."

"Never going to happen."

"Why Malfoy? Why? Why do you always have to be such an arse?" She asks him and sits down on the table, her feet dangling from the side.

He doesn't say anything. He looks over his shoulder to see if a house elf is coming to deliver his food but they are always precisely on time and he is a little early. Therefore, he has to wait a little longer. He hates waiting.

"Fine I'll guess." Hermione tells him when he doesn't answer. "You genuinely dislike me because of my parents, who are amazingly kind and generous people for your information, or you like to piss me off because you feel you are better than me because of that fact. Is that it?" She asks.

"No."

"Okay let's see, what else could be the reason? You're scared of me finding out what you are hiding. You already know what happened to me. You know how I died and you either care enough to not want me to know how horrible it is, or you are waiting for the right moment to tell me so you could hurt me the most with it. Am I getting warm?"

"No." He replies sternly.

"Give me a clue Malfoy? Am I wrong entirely? Is part of it true?"

"You are supposed to be the brightest witch of our age Granger, figure it out yourself."

"I will."

"Good for you." He answers. An house elf asks permission to enter the dining hall from the entrance. Draco nods and the little elf quickly puts down the tray he's holding.

"Your favourite lasagne sir. Lilly wishes master enjoys his meal." The elf, who apparently is named Lilly, tells him and disappears with a snap of her fingers.

Draco looks at Hermione again with amusement on his face. She is staring at his food.

"Merlin, would I love to taste that." She whispers, more to herself than to him. Unfortunately he does hear her.

"Go ahead." He smirks.

She looks at him. There must be a catch here. The smell of her favourite food tells her she shouldn't worry about there being anything wrong with it. She realises she can indeed still smell as a ghost. She smiles. "Thank you." She tries to grab his fork and her hand goes right through it. "Damn it." She grunts. He just sits there leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed smirking like crazy.

"Forgot you were a ghost there Granger?"

"You are the devil Malfoy. You did that on purpose. And you were listening to me this afternoon I knew you couldn't block me out!" she shouts accusingly.

He smiles and pulls up his sleeves slowly to make the gesture very dramatic. "If you would be so kind to excuse me I would like to start eating now." He tells her.

"You arse! Now you are acting like you have manners? Don't act so innocent you did this on purpose to bother me! You know that my favourite food is lasagne!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Draco replies innocently. "When you were describing how you usually eat it to me this afternoon you made me want to try it. It sounded lovely." He slowly takes a bite and closes his eyes to really enjoy it. "Mmm, this really is good." Hermione would kill for his dinner right now, preferably him. She hadn't eaten all day and although she isn't exactly hungry she would very much like to eat this. He takes another bite in the same slow manner making Hermione go crazy. The git is definitely enjoying a little payback. It is his turn to bother her after all.

"You're going straight to hell for this Malfoy. If you weren't heading there already this would certainly have given you a one way ticket!" She tells him and crosses her arms over her chest.

He smirks and continues doing the same thing. After two more bites Hermione can't take it anymore and stalks off towards the window behind him and sits down in the windowsill which had been converted into a settee. She starts staring out of the window and tries to forget he is there.

"Are you giving up already?" He asks her. She can hear the amusement in his voice and refuses to look at him.

"No."

"It sure looks like it."

"I'm not. I'm just taking a break."

"Suit yourself." He laughs. "If you aren't going to talk anyway you could just leave, go stalk your friends, find out what they say about your death or whatever." He suggested.

"Don't you think I would be gone by now if I could?" she asks him exasperated.

"What are you saying? Don't you enjoy the company of my ever charming self?"

"Although it is hard to resist..." She begins sarcastically "I really would rather be somewhere else."

"Then why don't you leave?"

"Have you not been listening at all? I can't leave."

"Why? Is there some force holding you back or something?"

"Or something." Hermione replies softly still staring out the window.

"Great, I'm really not getting rid of you then am I?" He asks her.

"No, you are really not." She doesn't know what to say anymore and neither does he. He finishes his meal like he always does, quiet and by himself.

Hermione just stares out of the window thinking about everything that has happened that day. For the first time she really realizes that she might never get her life back. For all she knows she could really be death. But how did it happen? Why can't she remember anything? She tries very hard to remember the last thing she did alive but all she can think of is cramming for her N.E.W.T level classes. That's it. She remembers nothing that could lead to her death. _'Maybe I had a heart attack? That would be quick enough that I wouldn't see it coming right? Is that why I can't remember, because it happened so fast?At least I probably didn't suffer much. Even if I did I don't remember. Maybe I don't remember because I suffered a lot? Maybe it was too traumatic to remember?'_ But that isn't what's really haunting her. The real question on her mind is what it means to be death. Why is she a ghost? Will she always remain a ghost? Why is she stuck with Draco Malfoy? Why him? Why can't she be more than 20 feet apart from him without being in mortifying pain? What is it that she is supposed to do? Surely there must be a reason for all of this. Maybe even a way out if she could just figure out what she must do and do it. What is the deal with Draco anyway? What does he care if she knows what happened to her. The more she thinks about it the more she believes he knows something. Something he doesn't want her to know. That must be why he hid the newspaper from her. But what is it and why won't he tell her? Is he just trying to be cross with her or is he trying to protect her from the awful truth? Or is he protecting himself in a way? The latter sounds the most likely. Hermione has many questions and very few answers. All she knows for sure is that the view of this room is amazing. The colours in the sky are amazing. They vary from yellow to pink and from purple to blue. It's truly amazing how perfectly the colours match together as they cover the sky. It's a peaceful sight.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Please review if you like it. Next chapter will be uploaded on July 17** **th** **.**


	4. Nightmares

Disclaimer: obviously, all characters belong to J.K Rowling, I own nothing but the plot. Also, I don't make money with this story, it is for fun. So please enjoy.

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Nightmares**

Deep in thought Hermione doesn't notice it when Draco finishes his meal and turns around. He wants to speak up but decides against it when he sees her sitting in front of the window staring out of it. She has her legs pulled up to her chest and has both her arms around them. Her chin rests lightly on her knees. She is wearing a soft brown knee length dress with a round collar made out of a flowy and seemingly soft fabric. Her long brown curls, which she has learned to tame a little over the course of the last couple of years but were just too hopeless to tame entirely, were mostly on her back with a few loose curls hanging over her shoulders. For a split second, Draco considers her to look angelic with the evening light shining through the window on face. Draco blames the thought on her being a ghost but a voice in the back of his head tells him that her ghostly state has nothing to do with him thinking she looks angelic. She actually looks beautiful, however hard to admit to him. She has a troubled look on her face that Draco would very much like to understand but he doesn't dare to ask. Guilt rushes through him as he sees her sitting there, looking sad, and decides he has had enough. He clears his throat which makes Hermione snap out of the little bubble of thoughts that surrounded her.

"You're finished?" she asks him dreamily.

"Yes." He almost snaps.

"Good." She smiles at Draco briefly but it makes him feel uncomfortable. "Tell me, how does Draco Malfoy spend his evenings?" She aks him.

"I was thinking about going back to work. I'm almost done. After that I'll play quiddich with Blaise." Draco drags his hand through his hair but it is an unconscious manifestation of his uneasiness.

"But he was already here this afternoon. Why didn't you play then?" Hermione asks him and turns to face him, dangling her feet off the settee in the window. Her feet do not reach the ground, which Draco finds cute. Another thought he pushes to the back of his mind quickly.

"He had to visit others, for the gambling thing."

Hermione nods and asks him "Does he gamble a lot?"

"Yes" He answers.

"And he loses a lot?" Hermione continues.

Draco smiles. "Usually."

"Huh". She says. "Must be nice" Hermione tells him.

Draco raises an eyebrow. "What must be nice?"

"Having so much money you just don't care what you do with it or if you lose it." She responds lightly

"Not always." Draco answers vaguely.

"He could always put the money to good use you know" Hermione tells Draco matter-of-factly. "There are many charities that could really benefit from some generous donations".

"His money is already being put to good use. It goes to me." Draco smiles and crosses his arms over his chest.

Hermione snorts. "You are no charity Malfoy. And from the looks of it, you don't need the money either. Perhaps you could invest in S.P.E.W!" she exclaims. "Now that I am dead I will need someone to take over." She explains.

"What is spew?" Draco asks her.

"S.P.E.W" She repeats. "Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare." She smiles brightly at him.

"Forget it Granger. I will not join something so stupid."

"It is not stupid!" She almost shouts.

"Whatever Granger, I like my house-elves where they are. Working for me."

"Fine." She tells him and lets go of the matter. For the time being at least. "When you're done with your own work I have some work for you too." Hermione tells him. "Research actually."

"I'm not joining that stupid club of yours Granger, forget it!"

"It is not about S.P.E.W. It is about me, being a ghost, and finding out what happened to me." She looks at him with big puppy dog eyes.

"Can't you just let it go? I won't help you." He tells her.

She gets really angry and walks over to him. "No Malfoy I can't just let it go. I am a bloody ghost and I don't know anything about how I died, or what I'm supposed to be doing here. Do you want to know what I think?"

"Why do I feel like you would tell me even if I didn't?" he asks her but she ignores it.

"You like me."

"Come again?"

"I said, you like me." Hermione repeated.

"I heard you the first time. Why would you say that?" he asks, his face clearly showing how disgusting he finds the idea.

"You know the only way to get rid of me is you helping me and you're doing everything you can to keep that from happening. Ergo, you like me. There is no other explanation for trying to keep me around." She tells him matter-of-factly.

"You've gone mental Granger." He tells her, his voice suddenly very high. He clears his throat and shifts his weight to his other leg.

She crosses her arms over her chest and walks over to him. She is standing close enough to feel him breathing but neither will take a step back. It's funny how she cannot touch or feel anything but she can feel his breath on her face. She'll worry about it later. She mimics his smirk and looks up at him. "You're awfully touchy about this. It must be true then." She challenges.

"Let it go Granger, I'm never helping you" He states and walks away. Hermione follows him singing to in a childish way. "You like me, you like me, you can't deny it, you like me."

"Shut up Granger you're wrong." He grunts and starts taking bigger steps.

She giggles. "No I'm not."

"Yes you are, I don't like you."

"You don't dislike me anymore either. Just admit it. You don't mind having me around as much as you initially thought you would."

He remains silent for a second and then answers, "Maybe."

She laughs. "That means yes, Malfoy."

"If you shut up I have to finish these reports now." He tells her. By now they arrived in his study and he immediately wants to start working if only to get Hermione to stop making such outrageous accusations.

"Will we start research tomorrow then?" She asks him hopefully.

"I haven't agreed to helping you Granger"

"Yet."

He stops rifling through his papers and faces her. He smirks at her with a devilish twinkling in his eyes.

"You're a foul git you know that Malfoy. Besides, manipulating me this way, torturing me with all of that delicious food you know I can't eat, is pretty pathetic, you can do better. But I am going to sit there quietly, stay out of your way." She tells him and to prove her point jumps unto his desk chair with her arms crossed.

"Why would you do that?"

"Figure it out yourself. If you won't help me I won't help you. I'm sure one day you'll need my help and then you can just kiss my ghostly buttocks!"

He smiles. "I don't need your help Granger; I don't need you at all."

"Then you needn't worry." This statement bothers Draco. She's up to something but he doesn't know what. He studies her but she isn't looking at him. Instead, she is reading the papers in front of her on his desk. It's a good thing that most of his papers were in an envelope or a map of some sorts so she couldn't read much.

"Get out of my chair Granger."

"What are all of these papers for?" She asks him ignoring his order. Everything on his desk is in an envelope but they don't all have his name on it.

"None of your business. Now, get out." He doesn't shout. He sounds very calm but she knows he isn't. His voice trembles slightly.

"Who is Peter Harrison?" she asks innocently and looks him straight in the eyes.

He cannot push her away from his desk but he can pull away the chair she is sitting in.

She gets up and walks through his desk. "Now that was just rude!" she exclaims. "Is it too much to ask to say please? I would have gotten up if you would have just asked nicely."

He just ignores her and opens the envelopes in front of him.

"Who is this Peter guy? Is he a friend of yours?"

Draco doesn't answer so she walks over to him to look over his shoulder. He holds the papers to his chest to prevent her from reading them.

"This does not concern you Granger. Leave it be."

"Why? I'm just curious what harm could it do me knowing it anyway? I'm dead, remember. Of course I still don't know how because _someone_ in this room won't help me." She looks at him accusingly.

"And that someone won't either so stop whining and let me work."

Hermione starts to pace back and forth through his desk. She might be a ghost but Draco cannot see through her. She is now keeping him from seeing anything that was on his desk. Hermione notices how she can walk through this desk but sit on the dining table earlier. It must have something to do with her intentions she figures. She really ought to spend some time figuring out what she can and cannot do as a ghost. Who knows, she might have some handy tricks up her sleeve.

"You know, you really should make more of an effort to get to know me." Hermione tells Draco.

"Why would I want to do that?" He asks her and tries to grab some things from his desk. His hand goes right through her legs to do so.

"Stop it Malfoy!" She walks over to his side. "I might be a ghost but it is just rude to do that."

"Then don't get in my way!" he protests.

"I'm bound to get in your way Malfoy! I can't bloody well go anywhere else!"

"Watch your language Granger; someone might think you're not as perfect as you want people to believe."

"You are the only one who can hear me and I don't care what you think of me!"

He rolls his eyes. "Why should I make more of an effort to get to know the likes of you?" He asks her.

"Because I am not going anywhere and you are really boring company."

"If you leave me alone tonight, I might want to help you tomorrow."

"Really?" She asks with the biggest smile on her face.

He doesn't respond but she doesn't want to upset him so he can change his mind so she quickly gets out of his way. Even if he is just playing her to get her to leave him alone, she cannot take the risk of losing an opportunity to get him to help her. She walks over to the big window at the back of his office. This windowsill has been converted into a settee as well. Hermione makes a mental note to install these in her own apartment when she gets her life back. She is getting rather used to them already. If she ever gets her life back.

Hours fly by and outside it is starting to get darker and darker. The Slytherin prince and Gryffindor princess have not spoken a word to each other. Hermione almost forgets that Blaise is still coming by until she is reminded by the same house-elf she has seen earlier, announce the presence of Blaise Zabini once again. Draco nods and stacks his papers neatly and tucks them all away in folders making it impossible for Hermione to sneak a peek at them when she passes his desk on her way out of his office. Draco meets Blaise in the main hall where he is waiting for Draco with a broomstick in his hand. By the door is another broomstick that one of the house-elves probably left for Draco. Together the boys go outside into the fresh evening air. It is not fully dark yet but almost. Hermione wonders how they are going to play quiddich this way. The blonde and black haired boy walk for a bit followed closely by Hermione, wearing only her brown knee length dress. She does not exactly feel the cold air but she imagines it must be a bit pesky and hugs herself nonetheless. After what feels like a very long walk, the boys near a quiddich field. Hermione would be amazed by the fact that Draco actually has his very own quiddich field if it wasn't for all the lights to grab her attention. The entire field is lit by small lights that floated in the air making the entire field visible. Catching the snitch must still be pretty difficult, Hermione imagines, but Draco and Blaise don't practice catching the snitch this evening. They take turns at the goalposts while the other tries to score. Hermione watches them for a while. They are throwing the quaffle with such strength she is starting to think that they are not playing for the practice, but perhaps to simply blow off some steam. They really seem to put a lot of aggression in their attempts to score and defend the goal posts. ' _It is strange seeing him like this'_ Hermione is thinking. ' _He is putting so much force in his game, yet he seems more relaxed than I have ever seen him. Even this afternoon having tea with Blaise he did not seem this at ease. Perhaps it was because I was trying to bug him the entire time. I must have gotten to him after all. It is weird to see him this way. To see him so... Happy? Not just Draco but Blaise too. They are in their own little world. Perhaps this is why Harry and Ron practice as well, even when there are much more important things to do. Maybe they use it to let off some steam and recharge their battery, so to speak. I always get energy when I am dancing, perhaps this is just how guys do it.'_ Hermione studies the two guys for two hours playing quiddich under all of those flickering lights. There is something magical about the scene in front of her, and it isn't the flying on broomsticks that makes it so. At some point, Draco wipes the sweat of his face with the hem of his t-shirt. If Hermione was not so busy staring at his toned abs, she would have realized how unlike him it was to wipe his sweat off with his clothing, messing up the perfect preppy look he usually has going on. His hair is ruffled, sweat is dripping from his body, and his clothes are wrinkled. 'W _hen he isn't trying so hard to be this perfectly dressed rich kid, he actually looks kind of hot'_ Hermione decides as she notices her heartbeat quicken. Her train of thought is interrupted when Draco and Blaise land and make their way towards her and back to the manor. Quickly she shakes the idea of Draco being hot and follows them back to the estate. Soon after they arrive, Blaise heads home and Draco heads to his room. He seems to have forgotten about her and Hermione doesn't feel like bugging him at the moment. It would have been a nice idea to keep him up and force him to help her if he wants some sleep but she doesn't feel up to arguing at the moment. Instead she follows him upstairs and remains silent. When Draco goes to bed Hermione tries to make herself comfortable at the sofa on the other side of the room and tries to sleep too. It takes her a while to fall asleep and she doesn't sleep well when she finally manages to. Her dream is weird. It's like she doesn't really dream. It's more like flashes in front of her.

She is in a dark, large room, maybe a bunker or a basement or something. She can't say for sure as she is facing the ground though still standing. She tries to look around but she can't control her body. It's not like a real dream, it's more like a memory. She feels a lot of pain. The same kind of pain she felt that morning when she parted from Draco. It's horrible. She is scared too. Really scared. She has no idea what is happening but it's not good at all. Hermione knows she is dreaming but she can't wake up. She feels trapped somehow. In the next flash she looks up and sees two Death Eaters standing in front of her and she concludes that it must be Death Eaters keeping her from running as well. She doesn't have a wand on her and feels defenceless. She sees their mouths move but she can't hear them speak. Then the flash is gone again. In the next flash she is laying on the ground. One of the death eaters is gone. Only one of them is left and he is cursing her. Her entire body is shaking like all of her nerves are sending signals at once making her body move every way at once and hereby breaking bones and ripping muscles. Then it stops. She looks up at the Death Eater in front of her. All she can see is how his mouth is shut but tense like he is fighting some urge. And his eyes. His eye are cold as stone. Then the flash is gone again.

There is no next flash because Draco is shouting at her to wake up. She does and feels sweaty and very uncomfortable. He would have shaken her if he could have.

"What was that all about?" He asks her. He is very annoyed that she woke him.

"What was what all about?" She asks him slightly out of breath.

"You were screaming"

"I... I think I've had a nightmare."

"Is that all? Did you have to wake me for that? Go back to sleep Granger, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that it was just a dream and that you'll be fine." He turns around and walks back to his bed. He freezes when she tells him: "I think there was an attack. I think I was about to find out how I died." He doesn't turn around. He does not want her to see the scared look on his face. He does stop walking.

"What did you see?" he asks quietly.

Without thinking whether or not she can trust him or if it's a good idea, she tells him everything she saw.

"Did you recognize them?"

"No."

"Good. Go back to sleep." He walks away leaving her to catch her breath all by herself. She stares blankly in front of her. What happened to her?

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Please review! It is much appreciated if you do.**


	5. Games

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. J.K. Rowling does. I only borrow her brilliant creation to play with.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Games**

Hermione wakes up with her head pounding. It feels like the angry person with the sledgehammer is back. She tries to sit up straight on the sofa she slept on but doesn't seem to be able to keep her head up. She tries to keep her head between her knees because she is starting to feel a bit dizzy as well. It doesn't seem to help though. The pain gets worse even. Slowly she can feel the pain spread throughout her body starting at her head and going all the way down to the tips of her toes. The longer she sits there the more pain she feels. _'why is this happening to_ me' she wonders. A sudden realization hits her. It must have something to do with Draco. It takes everything for her to lift her head and confirm that Draco is nowhere to be seen. He must have left her. After realizing this she tries to get up but falls on her knees on the floor. The pain makes her too weak to stand. She can't go to him. The pain gets even worse the more time passes. It feels like her organs are being devoured from the inside while her skin is being ripped off inch by inch at many points as once.

"Draco" She whispers. She can't go to him so he must come to her but her throat hurts and she seems unable to make sounds.

"Draco" She tries again a little louder. ' _Just scream Hermione you can do it.'_ She tells herself. ' _If you don't scream now you won't be able to at all. Just one loud scream is all it takes. Try again!'_

"DRACO" she yells as loud as she can and passes out right afterwards.

Draco is downstairs eating his breakfast when he hears her scream his name. His first name even. "I'll be back" He tells the house-elf that comes running towards him when he stands up. "Leave the food." He walks up the stairs forcing himself not to run. A Malfoy does not come running when some woman screams his name. Especially not someone like Hermione.

"What is it Gra..." He starts as he opens the door but he stops when he sees her lying on the floor.

"Granger?" She does not answer. He walks over to her and sits down on the sofa. He can see her stir which is a good thing.

"Granger" He says a little louder this time. She slowly regains consciousness but her body still hurts. Not as much as before but it's like it was a bug that she hasn't yet gotten out of her system.

"Don't... ever... leave me... again" She whispers.

Draco doesn't know what to say. He was sure she lied when she told him she couldn't leave him. Now he knows she wasn't. Seeing her lying there on the ground, because of him, it makes him feel guilty. After a little while Hermione tries to get up. With a little effort and a lot of pain she manages to stand long enough to let herself fall onto the sofa.

"I'm sorry, Granger" He whispers.

"No you're not." She snaps. "You don't care. You knew about this and you left me anyway. You were merely thinking about yourself like you always do and you didn't care enough to think about what it would do to me."

Draco doesn't know how to respond. She is right obviously. He hates it. Hermione stands up and looks down at him.

"Don't you have work to do or something?" She snaps.

He just stares at her and leaves the room without responding. He holds open the door for her for the first time. Neither of them mention it but Hermione is glad to see that he is trying to make up for what he did, even if it is just with a simple gesture like this.

.

* * *

.

The dark lord is sitting in his chair in front of a big oak desk. The desk is in the middle of a big dark room. It looks like an old castle because of the high ceiling and the big windows. There are many windows but they are all closed with dark blue curtains. Besides the desk there is a fireplace in the room and a dusty old chair in a corner and that's it. There is dust everywhere indicating nobody has actually lived there in a while. Voldemort has his back to the door but he knows someone is coming up the stairs. He knows everything even though he can't see it without turning around. The footsteps stop right in front of the door. Nobody knocks. Everyone knows that if he wants them to come in he'll call out for them. If anyone knocks or dares to enter without him saying anything it may cost them their heads.

"Come in." Voldemort says. He speaks as if the person was right in front of him so from the door the sound was merely a whisper.

The Death Eater enters the room and stops after a few steps. He doesn't approach his leader and his leader doesn't turn around. "Master, we've found the mudblood trying to create her own little army against you. We've captured her."

"Good. You know what to do."

"Yes sir." The Death Eater turns around to walk away again when he hears Voldemort speak again.

"Bring young mister Malfoy" He tells him. "He failed me before. Make him teach her a lesson. Report in the morning."

"Yes master." The man answered with a bow and retreated.

.

* * *

.

Hermione ignores Draco all day. She just stares out of his window. Draco can't quite make up his mind whether he likes the silence or not. He finally settles on liking it. At least he can get some work done. He has his dinner brought up for him in the evening, he does not leave his study the entire day. The day goes by faster than Hermione had expected it to.

Suddenly the door is thrust open. Lucius Malfoy is standing in the doorway. "We've been summoned. Be ready in an hour." He tells his son and is gone before they can blink. Draco drops the papers he is holding. Hermione sees a strong rush of some sort of emotion in his eyes. She can't determine what it was, it has gone too fast, but she can tell it wasn't anything positive.

"What is going on?" Hermione asks him tentatively.

He looks up at her but doesn't say anything. Hermione swallows the lump in her throat. She was afraid of this. Sooner or later she would have to witness something she wouldn't like if he truly was a Death Eater.

"Aren't you happy to be included on some Death Eater mission?"

"Of course not!" he exclaims. "Must you always assume the worst?"

"Well excuse me!" Hermione holds up her hands flat in front of her chest as if she would surrender and jumps from the sofa. "Only a year ago you took pride in the idea that that lunatic entrusted you with some important mission. You weren't too subtle about it either because you were actually bragging about it."

Draco sighs. "Well, I never finished it did I."

"You let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. Dumbledore is dead because of you." She accuses

"I didn't kill him!" Draco roars and steps towards her threateningly.

"Well not for the lack of trying!" she takes another step towards him and point her finger at him.

"Oh please, every one of those attempts would never have fooled Dumbledore and I knew that. I had to make it seem like I was trying to kill him."

"Well you did fix the Vanishing Cabinet. Couldn't you have _pretended_ to work on that?"

"Of course not! I had to do something right or I would've been killed."

"And now Dumbledore was killed, thanks to you."

"It wasn't my fault. Dumbledore would have died anyway." By now they are standing so close their noses could almost touch, if that were even possible. He is looking down at Hermione, her face red from anger.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asks confused. Draco looks at her intently for a moment and then turn around gliding his hand through his white blonde hair.

"Forget it. There is no point in arguing with you, you believe what you want to believe."

"I believe in what I see Malfoy. And I saw you brag about your important mission to your fellow Slytherins. I've seen you torment any muggleborn witch or wizard at Hogwarts, myself included. That is your idea of fun, Malfoy. Bringing down others to feel better about yourself."

Draco doesn't respond and walks back to his desk and sits down in front of it.

Hermione studies him for a little bit, sitting there looking, well, exhausted. "Can't you just refuse?" she asks him quietly.

"Of course not. I would be dead before dawn."

Hermione doesn't say anything. What could anyone say to that?

"Aargh!" Draco yells suddenly and with one swoosh of his arm throws everything from his desk. He rests his forehead in the palms of his hands.

Hermione doesn't know what to do or say. She is a ghost, so he probably won't be able to hurt her, but seeing him like this scares her none the less. Draco turns around in his chair and smiles at her. Hermione isn't sure what is more frightening, the aggression he showed a second ago or the fact that he switches so fast between emotions.

"Wanna play wizards chess?" he asks her.

"Huh?" is all she can make out.

"Wizards chess." He repeats. "You've never played?"

"Are you bipolar?" She asks him, still unsure what the heck is going on.

"What is that?"

"Never mind..." Hermione squints her eyes. "I have played chess with Harry and Ron a few times" she answers slowly. "I don't like it though." She admits.

"What? What's not to like?" he asks her.

"It's barbaric!" she exclaims. "The pieces literally tear each other apart!"

He snickers. "Come on Granger. It will be fun I promise."

Hermione doubts it but jumps off the windowsill ready to follow him anyway she doesn't have much of a choice but she knows deep down she would have followed him anyway out of curiosity.

"Why the sudden need to play games Malfoy?" She asks him as he walks out of the door back to the room he had tea in with his friend Blaise Zabini yesterday.

Draco shrugs. "I'm showing you I can be fun." _'Before you will see me as a Death Eater and never be able to think better of me ever again'_ he adds in his mind.

Hermione nods.

"Usually, I would owl Pansy for that" he remarks crudely and wiggles his eyebrows.

"To play chess?" She replies innocently, choosing to ignore the obvious innuendo.

"Chess isn't the game we play, Granger." He smirks and she rolls her eyes. "But that would be a bit awkward with you there wouldn't it" he adds, knowing his last comment made the Gryffindor princess uncomfortable.

Hermione ignores him. The pair sits down opposite each other at a small table next to a small but high window that almost reaches the ceiling. There is already a chess board on the table.

Draco looks at her intently and Hermione stares back.

' _What is he looking at? Do I have something in my hair? It's my hair isn't it. What do I look like anyway?'_ she wonders.

They stare at each other for so long Hermione starts to shift in her seat because it makes her uncomfortable.

"What?!" she snaps, she has had enough.

Draco snickers. "You have to start Granger."

Hermione looks at the board and sees that she indeed sat down at the side that has to take the first move. "Oh." She says softly.

"Do you even know how to play?"

"Of course I do." Hermione snaps again. "I just told you, I've played with Harry and Ron."

"Ever won?" he smirks.

Hermione simply shoots him an evil glare but doesn't respond.

"Merlin's beard!" Draco exclaims mockingly. "There is something the know-it-all Granger is not good at."

"I never claimed to be good at everything, Malfoy!" She ignores his mocking smirk as he crosses his arms and leans back in his seat. "Pawn to E4." She says to change the subject. The chess piece doesn't move. Draco repeats her and the pawn moves.

"Pawn to E5." He replies and the chess piece moves accordingly. He doesn't taunt her with her lack of chess playing skills for the next five minutes and Hermione can see herself relax even though she is already down half of her pieces.

"How is it going Granger?" he asks her and smirks, knowing very well that she is losing, hard.

"Great!" she smiles sweetly at him.

"Really? Not missing any important pieces?" he asks hinting at the queen she has just lost.

"Nope, It is easier to keep track of anything when there are less pieces to worry about."

Draco roars with laughter and leans back in his seat. Hermione smiles. It is nice to see him this way.

"You have got to be joking!" He replies.

Hermione shakes her head and laughs too.

They finish the game, which doesn't take long since Hermione has no clue what she is doing. They play another game where Draco explains some tactics and helps her. She loses again, but she has fun playing a game with him. Who would've thought that she would be playing a relaxed board game with her rival from school? The boy who bullied her every chance he got and to top it all off, was her academic rival ass well and a close second in almost every subject they shared. With a Death Eater no less. She is actually able to forget about that for a little while. Forget that he is an evil Death Eater and that she is, well, dead. The hour passes too quickly. A house-elf appears to remind Draco his father is waiting for him. Immediately the atmosphere changes and the time for fun and games is over, truly.

He turns towards her. "Don't follow me." She wants to protest but he cuts her off. "Please?" He asks her softly. Now _that_ , freaks her out. A Malfoy never begs. Something is wrong. Whatever it is that Lucius wants from Draco, it is probably too horrible for Hermione to imagine.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. Please review.**


	6. Death-Eaters

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I don't make any money writing this story.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Death-Eaters**

"I have to." Hermione tells Draco, who has just asked her to stay behind knowing it would not be possible. He nods and gets up to follow his father who is waiting by the door. He grabs his coat on his way and holds his wand tightly in his pocket. Not a word is said as the two men travel through the darkness. Lucius Malfoy is looking rather frightening. Hermione has always found him a bit scary. Not because of the things he has said to her in the past or because he clearly hates her for her, as he calls it, foul blood, but because he simply looks scary. Lucius Malfoy is a tall man, usually dressed in black robes, has pale skin and white-blonde hair. He carries around a walking stick that conceals his wand, but nobody can mistake this man for weak or frail. The walking cane is more a sign of dominance if anything. Towering over her every time he has tried to threaten Hermione in the past, gave her chills, although she never showed it, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he actually scared her.

Hermione has the feeling she is about to witness something she won't like. Usually when Draco has company Hermione talks to him to annoy him and to make him want to say something back. Now, in the dark woods, Hermione is afraid that even breathing will make too much noise, even though she is well aware that only Draco can hear her anyway.

After walking for five minutes Draco and his father reach a cut down tree. It must be a port key because when they touch it they disappear and moments later Hermione's world starts spinning too. She is pleased to find that she is again near the younger Malfoy so that she won't be in excruciating pain while he is away. Then, both men get something out of their pockets and enlarge tit back to its normal size. Seeing what it is they are holding, Hermione decides she might have been better off alone in the woods on the other side of the port key in terrible pain. They start to put on their Death-Eater attire. Suddenly, Lucius Malfoy places his walking stick on Draco's chest. He doesn't exactly hit him but the gesture is rather forceful none the less. Draco looks up at his father questioningly. Lucius Malfoy gets closer to him and grunts "Don't you embarrass me tonight. You have put enough shame on this family. Follow your orders and show the others you are still loyal, before we _all_ must pay the price for your incompetence." Hermione swallows. After a moment Draco nods and grabs the Death-Eather's mask. Right before he puts on his mask Hermione can see his eyes change even though he is averting his gaze. It is like suddenly all the warmth is drained from his body and all that is left is an ice cold vessel, ready to obey its master's orders. He looks like he is in some sort of a trance. Of all the horrible things she has seen from him, she is sure this is the scariest. She gasps but if he even hears her, he ignores her. Again Hermione thinks that the pain she would get from being away from him would be like a vacation compared to what will come next.

The men start walking and soon they reach a circle of more Death-Eaters, all unrecognizable because of their masks. As they near the group Hermione realizes there is someone lying on the ground. It's a woman, no more than twenty-five years old. She is wearing muggle clothing which probably means she is a muggleborn, since they are in the wizarding world at the moment. She is crying silently and stares at the ground.

The group is quiet. It seems they were waiting for Draco and Lucius Malfoy because as soon as they enter and thereby close the circle around the young woman, all eyes turn to one Death-Eater. Hermione believes him to be a man based on his posture. He must be the leader, though she doubts it is Voldemort himself. When he starts talking Hermione can see Draco make a fist of his left hand for a moment and quickly release it again. Whoever the key speaker is, Draco doesn't like him. "This is Amanda Rosefield. She believes she is quite the character" he turns towards her "don't you Rosefield? You and your friends were planning on taking us on am I right?" The woman continues to sob and doesn't look at him. "Haven't your parents thought you good manners? It is polite to look at the person speaking to you." He says tauntingly.

"How can I when you are wearing a mask?" She snaps.

The man laughs at her. "That wasn't very nice." He laughs. "Malfoy!" He says, without taking his eyes off his victim. Draco points his wand at Amanda.

"Draco don't!" Hermione gasps. He hesitates for a moment but then casts the cruciatus curse on the innocent woman in front of him who starts screaming and writhing in pain.

The leader of the group holds up his hand and Draco stops the spell. "Now let's see if your manners have come back to you." He tells Amanda.

"Go to hell, it's where you belong!" She tells him. Immediately Draco picks up the spell again, without having to be told, and Amanda starts screaming even louder than before.

"Stop it!" Hermione screams. "Stop it, you're hurting her!" Draco doesn't seem to be able to hear her anymore. Tears are forming in Hermione's eyes. The brutal truth of the person Draco Malfoy has become cannot be denied any longer.

Hermione walks away from the group. She cannot bear this. There is nothing she can do and she doesn't want to witness it. She considered for a moment that staying might provide some insight in the Death Eaters plans, but it's not like it would do her any good. What would that information get her when the only person she can possibly tell is one of them? Hermione walks as far away as her pounding head will allow her. A little bit further than she is comfortable with actually. Anything to get away from them.

Hermione sits down against a tree trunk and hugs her knees. It seems like hours before Hermione is suddenly ripped from the forest and finds herself back at Malfoy Manor at the main hall. She sees Draco walking up the stairs and quickly hides before he can see her. She is not ready to face him just yet. Hermione doesn't know what became of the young woman in the forest. She doesn't dare ask either. Right now, she doesn't want to talk to Draco at all.

.

* * *

.

Three days go by before Hermione and Draco speak again. It is her fifth day as a ghost. Hermione realises she still needs his help but the way he looked before he put on the mask that night in the woods, the way he tortured that unarmed woman, she just can't forget it.

She has stayed on the other side of the wall the entire time she was avoiding him. It wasn't difficult, she knew from the growing pain when he moved and that same pain told her which way. If the pain got worse she was going the wrong way and if it went away then she followed him just fine. She was a little bored but it did give her some time to think. She thought about her death and about her friends and how they might be doing. She hasn't slept either but she isn't tired. It's like she doesn't need sleep just like she doesn't have to eat. She hasn't had any flashes either but she thinks they'll come again when she falls asleep. She has tried many times, hoping it would help her find out the truth about what happened to her, but she couldn't fall asleep.

The link between her and Draco is annoying her more and more. She is close enough to not feel the excruciating pain she felt that morning he left her, but she has the constant feeling that she should go to him. Like a voice in the back of her head trying to persuade her to go to the other room and talk to him. She has to literally fight against the urge to go to him the entire time she wants nothing more than to avoid him. It's tiresome.

Draco doesn't know what to think of her behaviour. He knew she would probably be mad. He expected her to give him a lecture or something but he doesn't quite know what to do with this silent treatment. What does it mean? Is she afraid of him now? Never has she been afraid of him, not during any of the times he picked on her in school, not even when... he pushes the thought away.

Draco is very confused. He is glad that she doesn't bother him anymore, glad that he can get some work done, but the guilt keeps bringing her to his mind. Maybe he should explain. Not that it would matter. She could never understand. She would never be able to see things from his perspective. He really shouldn't bother but why does he feel like he owes it to her? In the past few days while she has been avoiding him, he has gone from feeling guilty, to feeling mad at her for ignoring him, to feeling lonely, to feeling mad again for making him feel that way, and back to guilty. He doesn't understand any of it. Why does he care anyway? He decides that it must be the link between them that is causing him to feel so strange. Never in his right mind would he feel guilty over someone like her or be lonely without her. Would he? He decides that soon he needs to help her. Just for his own sake of course, or at least that's what he tells himself. He won't admit he actually wants to see her again. But he can't do anything as long as she won't show herself.

Right around noon on that fifth day Hermione finally gives in. It is time for the truth. It is time for sleep. And she realizes that she probably won't be getting any if she stays away from Draco. Stupid link. Hermione steps through the wall and sees Draco sitting hunched over his desk as usual. He always seems to be working. He can't hear her and he hasn't noticed her yet so that gives her some time to study him. He has a puzzled look on his face. Whatever he is working on, something isn't going the way he wants it to. He looks sleep deprived as well. The dark circles under his eyes and the few empty coffee cups give him away. She is glad to see that their link affects him as well. If that was even the reason he couldn't sleep. She's not sure but the thought that she is not the only one suffering from this link between them comforts her.

"Hey." She says timidly, just to announce her presence. He jumps a little but regains his posture right away.

"I didn't expect to see you today, Granger." He doesn't look up.

"Well, you had to realize I had to come and ask you for help again one of these days."

"Yes, but I thought you would take a little longer."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

There is an awkward silence. At least they had a normal, civil conversation so far. Even if it did last so shortly.

"So will you?" she asks him.

"Will I what?" He replies.

"Help me. Will you help me?"

He sighs. "Fine."

"What?" now she's confused. _'Why the change of heart'_ she wonders. She decides not to ask as she is afraid that it might make him change his mind back again.

"Great." She says instead, although her voice lacks the enthusiasm. Of course she wants to figure things out, but she doesn't actually want to work with him and interact with him. "When will we get started?"

"Let's go now." He drops the papers in front of him. "There is not much I can do about this anyway." Without looking at her he leaves and goes to the library and Hermione follows him silently. Again Hermione is amazed by the size of the library. She would kill to have a library like this in her own home. Granted, this library is bigger than her entire home, but that is not the point.

Draco looks over a few shelves and picks two books for them to start with. One is about ghosts and the other is about special cases at St. Mungo's. She doesn't see the relevance in that but she doesn't argue right away. They sit down at a table somewhere in the middle of the room. It is a big round table with very luxurious Victorian chairs around it, only they are more comfortable than the original Victorian chairs Hermione soon learns.

"Draco?"

"What?"

"Thank you." She tells him timidly.

He doesn't answer right away he just looks at her for a second. "I had to do this eventually to get rid of you. Don't think I'm doing this for you." He tells her, but the statement lacks the usual venom.

"You are lying." She states. It's not a question.

"What?"

"I… I don't know where that came from. I just felt something. Like I can feel you are angry now and also… scared?"

"I am not scared Granger. What are you on about?"

"I don't understand either" she tells him "It's like I can sense what you are feeling or something. That would be odd. If that's true, then why now? Why not when I first came here?"

"I don't know, but if that's true we'd better get started because I don't want you prying through my head!"

"I can't hear your thoughts Malfoy I can only feel what you feel, I think."

"Even so, who says you can't read my mind tomorrow. What if this thing gets worse the longer you stay? You have _got_ to go!"

"I agree but first things first. If you want me to read this book, you will have to turn the pages for me. Also, I don't understand why it is a book on special cases in St. Mungo's? I'm not sick, I'm not a patient."

"Well Granger..." he averts his gaze for a moment but decided it better to look her straight in the eye instead. "Good news. You're not dead."

"What? Then why the hell am I a ghost?"

He smirks at the use of the word hell. She doesn't even seem to notice. "You're in a coma. As you've realized from your flashes, you were attacked by Death Eaters and they must've thought you were dead because they left you in an abandoned warehouse. Aurors found you and you've been in a coma ever since."

Hermione is perplexed, shocked even. She needs a moment to process it.

"How long have you known this?" she asks him calmly, but Draco knows her well enough to understand this is the calm before the storm.

"Since the newspaper a few days ago." He answers reluctantly.

"Damn it Malfoy! How could you have kept this from me?! You are such an ass. Do you have no idea what the past few days have been like for me? Not knowing what happened or what is going on. Aargh, I would strangle you if my hands wouldn't go straight through your throat!" She rants.

Draco can't help but smile a bit at her red face and frantic movements, and most of all, her attempt to a death threat.

Hermione takes a deep breath to calm herself a bit. "Can I wake up again? For how long will they keep me in a coma? What happens when they decide to pull the plug?"

"Granger, I never told you because you would have wanted to visit your body and I couldn't do that."

"You don't know what I..."

Draco interrupts her sentence and keeps talking. "If _he_ ever found out I would be dead. I'm not quite the favourite anymore as it is. And besides, your body isn't even at St Mungo's. Nobody knows where it is, all they know is that they haven't buried you yet so you must still be alive. I don't know anything else."

"Okay. I guess I understand, but it was still wrong Malfoy. I never thought I'd say it but we have to find out a way for me to get back in my body."

"Yes, the sooner the better." He opens her book on the first page so she can start reading before opening his.

"Wait!"

"What now Granger?"

"You are a Death Eater. Do you know what happened to me? I mean who did this to me and exactly what?"

"No." He doesn't look at her.

"You forget I can tell your feelings now and I know your lying. Tell me!"

"No! What I know is not important, it won't help. Start reading or I'm walking away."

She scowls at him before turning to the book in front of her. It's not fair that he has all control in this situation. After a short while she tells him to flip the page. She reads very fast so he needs to do this a lot. Unfortunately, that doesn't give him much time to read for himself if he needs to find his last line back every time she interrupts him. This is going to be a long day.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. Please review! The next chapter will be online on Friday August 7** **th** **.**


	7. The letter

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and that is not me.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: The letter**

Harry is arranging some fresh flowers in a vase by Hermione's bed. As a guy, he has no feel for flower arrangements and of course, Hermione can't see them anyway. Yet, he feels like they should look nice. It is kind of like he wants to control the only thing in the room he can control, and also give him something to do other than stare at one of his best friends miserably, hoping for some miracle to happen. Harry has been coming to bring Hermione flowers every couple of days since they found her body. Ron doesn't visit her body nearly as much. Not that he doesn't care, quite the opposite actually. Seeing Hermione lying motionless in that bed pains him more than he can say. Therefore, he simply avoids coming there as much as he can.

Ron and Ginny are still mad at Harry. In their opinion, he isn't doing enough to fight the war. Together with Luna, Neville, and their twin brothers, the two siblings have been trying to figure out a way to attack the Death Eaters. The Order is also working on a something but have so far kept all of them in the dark. "It is for your own protection" they keep telling them. "The less you know the better, it will keep you from being a target like Hermione was" they say. All of the students feel this is bullshit. As if they haven't proven they can fight more than they can count. Dumbledore's death and Hermione's coma have probably scared them. They have lost many more but because Dumbledore is gone they feel vulnerable and are terrified of losing any more of the young students. Harry and his friends, however, are even more motivated to fight for their cause, to avenge their losses and prevent more casualties. But how much can a bunch of young adults accomplish when vital information is being kept from them? All of them want to do something. Anything but sit in that safe house being powerless and have no clue what is happening. However, they cannot seem to agree on what they should be doing instead.

Harry is speaking to Hermione. He doesn't quite know what to say but in case she is able to hear him, he wants her to know he is there. He tells her about his day, about how Ginny refuses to speak to him, how everyone misses her and wishes she would come back, how much they need her, etc. Ron coughs behind him to announce his presence.

"Hey" Harry says as he looks up to his best friend.

"Hey" Ron replies. "How is she doing?" He enters the room and pulls up a chair.

"The same."

"Oh." His face falls slightly. He hasn't exactly expected any other news but feels sad anyway. At least she isn't getting worse.

They are silent for a little bit.

"You need to talk to Ginny, Harry." Ron tells him.

"I'm not avoiding her, Ron, she is avoiding me."

"I know, but she has a plan. We need you. She is just too stubborn to admit it."

Harry sighs. "What kind of plan?"

"Talk to _her_ , Harry." Ron tells him. He squeezes Hermione's hand and tells his comatose friend he will be back very soon and leaves without another word to Harry.

.

* * *

.

Hermione realizes she has worked with Draco all night when she sees the sun coming up through the windows of the library. Hermione still doesn't understand why he suddenly had a change of heart the night before and is suddenly helping her, but she isn't going to question it. He probably just wants to get rid of her which is understandable. If the roles were reversed, she would definitely do everything she could to get rid of him. The thought alone that he would see her all day like she sees him. At least she waits outside while he uses the bathroom but she doubts he would have shown her the same courtesy. Never mind his intentions, the fact remains that they haven't actually found a way to get her back into her body, yet. They have read many books and papers but nothing seems even remotely like the situation they are in and therefore nothing seems like it could help.

Hermione shifts her attention from the window to Draco. He is leaning on the table with his cheek on a book, fast asleep. His hair is ruffled and his tie is loosened as well as the first few buttons of his shirt. A ray of the morning sun is shining across his face making his hair and skin appear even whiter. Hermione stares at him. He looks really handsome without the perfect appearance he always tries to keep up. Even in jeans and a shirt he always looks ready for business and now everything is ruffled and messed up. It makes him look more, what? She wonders. More, relaxed? More, approachable? He truly is quite handsome this way if it wasn't for the pained expression on his face. The dark circles under his eyes give him a tired and worn out appearance.

He must have felt her staring as he stirs and suddenly shoots up looking bewildered. He looks at her.

"What time is it?" He asks her sleepily.

"How should I know?" She says.

He drags his hand through his hair to smooth it back a bit while looking at the books and articles in front of them.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Not long, I think. I just noticed actually."

He nods.

"Draco..." she starts. "I have an idea."

He groans. "It can't be anything good if you start by calling me by my first name." He squints his eyes and waits for her to continue.

"Well... I was thinking. What if I could see myself? Perhaps I could, I don't know, jump back in my body or something?"

"That sounds ridiculous."

"Well, do you have a better plan?" She asks him and crosses her arms over her chest. "We have worked all night and have come no closer to an answer to our problem."

"It doesn't matter anyway Granger, it's not like we know where your body is."

"But we can easily find out!" She tells him and jumps up.

"And how do you propose we find out then?"

"We could ask my friends of course!" She exclaims, as if it was the most obvious solution in the world.

He sighs. "Be serious Granger." He tells her.

"I am serious!"

"Well, then you are just stupid."

"Hey!" She protests.

"Come on Granger. What do you expect will happen? Do you want me to send them a letter?" He continues sarcastically; " _Dear Potty and Weasel, would you please tell me, Draco Malfoy,Pure-blooded god, Death Eater and your sworn enemy, where you're beloved bookworm's body is. Thanks_."

Hermione rolls her eyes. "You're not a god, Malfoy."

He pretends he doesn't hear her and continues his rant. "What do you think they will do? Never mind what my father would do if he got word of it, or better yet, The Dark Lord!" Draco tries to keep his voice down, he doesn't want anyone to hear him talk to himself of course, but he has a hard time.

"Well of course it wouldn't be _easy_. Especially if you insist on the nicknames. But you could tell them the truth, that I am haunting you and that in order to get rid of me you wish to see my body. You could tell them something only I know to prove it too."

"Like what?" he has an evil glint in his eyes that makes Hermione raise one eyebrow.

"Really, you want me to tell you secrets before you agree to help me?"

"Fine, but I'm not sending a letter. Someone could find it."

"Fine. Go to the burrow then."

"As if! I am not setting one foot in that filthy thing they call a home. It's disgusting! All those people in such a tiny space. Dreadful, really."

"Watch what you're saying Malfoy!" She points a finger at him which was supposed to be threatening or something but he just laughs. "Damn it Malfoy. I honestly don't understand how you can live with those ideas. You can just be so simple minded sometimes!" She accuses him. Of course that doesn't help her cause.

"Well then, figure it out yourself Granger. You wouldn't want someone so simple minded to help the great and all knowing Hermione Jean Granger!" he shouts and then stalks off as a dramatic gesture, knowing very well she will be forced to follow him anyway, and that it is a bit childish.

She is taken aback for a moment. "How do you know my middle name?" She asks him but he ignores her.

In the hallway they see Mr. Malfoy. It is the second time Hermione has seen him and she has been in Malfoy manor for six days. Come to think of it, she has only seen his mother once and Blaise twice. Draco must be awfully lonely living like this. Hermione doesn't have any brothers or sisters but she is hardly ever alone. She has many friends and sees them and her parents regularly. Not a day goes by that she is completely alone. And honestly, the house-elves don't count in Draco's case as they are mere servants to him. She doesn't speak to annoy Draco as she is curious what Mr. Malfoy has to say.

"Draco." He greets his son.

"Father" Draco nods.

Lucius malfoy hands his son a letter and stalks off. Nothing else is said between the two men. _He rally must be lonely. He has no interaction with his parents at all._ Hermione thinks to herself while Draco opens and reads the letter with his back to her.

After reading the letter Draco folds it and shoves it in his jeans pocket and continues to walk towards his study where he throws the letter on his desk, sits down behind it, and starts scribbling something on a piece of paper which he then folds and places in an envelope as well. He closes the envelope with a wax seal and presses a stamp with the Malfoy family crest into it.

"Who are you writing?"

"Your friends." He answers her truthfully and gets up from his desk and walks out of the room. She follows him.

"Have you changed your mind? Shouldn't we just go to the burrow instead of writing?"

Draco keeps walking. "They are not at the burrow."

"Why not?" She asks him as she follows him. He is going so fast she has to almost run to keep up with him. "How do you know?"

Draco is ascending a spiral staircase with no windows. It was a very small staircase as if in a tower. There were no pictures on the wall, like the rest of the house, which makes it awfully sinister and dark. Only a few lights are on the wall to show the steps.

"They are not there because Death Eaters burned it down a few weeks ago." He tells her.

"What?!" She exclaimed. "What happened? Are they okay?"

"Probably. There was nobody home. It was only a message."

Hermione sighs in relief. "Oh thank Godric. But wait... where are you sending that letter then?"

"My owl will find Potter" Draco tells her right when he reaches a door at the very top of the staircase which leads into an owlry with five owls in it.

"I didn't know you owned an owl." She says as she looks around the room.

"There is much you don't know Granger."

Draco ties the letter to the paw of a small brown owl, gives it a treat and tells it to find Harry Potter. Hermione is a little nervous what will happen next. She doesn't know the content of the letter, nor the content of the letter Lucius Malfoy gave his son, which seems to have made him change his mind about contacting her friends.

.

* * *

.

"Hi Harry" says Luna as she enters his room at the safe house they had been staying in.

"Hi" he replies. She walks over to him and hugs him.

"Are you coming downstairs?" she asks him while they embrace.

"Yes. I suppose so."

Ginny is still mad at Harry but according to Ron she had a plan and Harry needs to be a part of it. He doesn't look forward to the coming conversation though. The stress is really getting to him. The war does not appear to be ending any time soon and lately he and his friends have been fighting more often than not. Nobody really knows what to do. Luna is the only factor in his life keeping him sane. They have been dating for a few months and she has a good influence on him.

Harry sighs and lets go of his girlfriend. "Okay, let's do this." She grabs his hand and gives him an encouraging smile. Together they walk towards the kitchen where Ron, Ginny and Neville are waiting for them. As Harry and Luna enter the room, the rest stops talking. On the table are lots of papers and Hermione's journal spread out. Harry recognizes it right away as he has seen her scribble notes in there so many times.

"Is that Hermione's?" he asks.

"Yes" Ron answers "but give us a moment to explain!" he adds hastily before harry can get mad. Ron can see on his face that Harry is angry already but he stays quiet.

"It's been weeks since we found Hermione. And you know how it didn't make sense to us why she was attacked, or at least, why then?"

"Go on" Harry replies.

"Well, Ginny figured she must have known something the Death Eaters wanted to keep her from telling anyone. And she did! Ginny read her journal and Hermione did know something. Harry, this could help us defeat him!"

"You shouldn't have read her journal that is private." Harry tells Ginny.

"She would have wanted us to know Harry! She would have wanted us to defeat him!" She defends.

"But you can't go reading people's journals!" Harry was raising his voice a little. Luna placed her hand on his arm which calms him down a bit.

"Please listen Harry, listen to what they found out." Luna tells her boyfriend. He looks at the pleading look in her eyes and sighs. He pulls up a chair and sits down.

"Fine." He tells his friends. "What did Hermione discover?"

Ginny smiles at him. Relieved that Luna could talk some sense into him. But just as she wants to start talking there is a tap on the window. The brown owl Draco had sent has found them. Neville, who is closest to the window, walks over and takes the letter from the tiny bird. It is wet from the rain and Neville offers him a treat and lets him inside to dry his feathers.

"It's for you Harry." Neville tells him holding out the letter. A frown appears on Harry's face as he reads the letter.

"what does it say?" Ron asks.

"Who is it from?" adds Ginny.

Harry reads out loud:

Potter,

I know how to help your friend Granger. Meet me at noon at the burrow.

Bring Weasly, but nobody else.

"There is no name on it" Harry tells his friends.

Ginny walks over and snatches the letter from his hands. She rereads it and frowns. She looks at the envelope and folds back the top to put the two parts of the broken seal together. Her eyebrows shoot upwards.

"Malfoy." She half whispers confused.

"What?!" Ron yells.

"Harry, it could be a set up!" Neville tells him. "You're not thinking of going are you?

"I wouldn't be alone" Harry tells him considering the proposal. Never in a million years would he trust a Malfoy, and he assumes the letter was sent by the younger version, but he could take Draco if he wanted to right? "Ron will be there too".

"I don't know Harry, it sounds shady to me" Ron tells him.

"What?" He asks. "You're not coming? What if this is legit? What If we actually can help Hermione? We owe it to her to do everything we can! She would do the same for us!" Harry yells. He doesn't understand his friends. They are all looking at him with worried looks on their faces. "You have all been pushing me to do something. This is our chance to get off our arses and actually gather some information!"

"Hermione wouldn't risk her life for something like this Harry" Ginny tells him.

"Haven't you said yourself you believe Malfoy is a Death Eater?" Neville asks Harry worriedly.

"Perhaps" Harry answers both Ginny and Neville at once. "But I'm going. Alone if I have to." He looks at Ron as he says the last part.

Ron hesitates but knows he won't be able to talk his friend out of it. "Fine, I'm coming too."

"I'm coming as well." Ginny tells the group.

"No you're not." Ron and Harry say in unison.

"Why not? It says bring Weasley, but not which one!"

"You know damn well he means me little sis. You're not coming"

"It's almost noon Harry" Luna tells him quickly to prevent the argument from turning into a full blown fight.

"Okay, we'll go right away. We'll apparate in the fields around it so we are hidden from sight. That way we can see if Malfoy is alone and hopefully rule out the possibility of being set up."

"We'll all go" Ginny tells him again.

"No! I don't want to risk losing the chance to help Hermione. If something does go wrong, we need someone to look after her too." Harry kisses his girlfriend but only a chaste kiss. "Ready to go Ron?" he asks.

"Ready" he replies and the two boys apparate out of the room, the plan Ginny came up with long forgotten.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it. Please review! I really appreciate it when you do.**

 **The next chapter will be uploaded on Friday August 21** **st** **. Sorry! Two weeks from now. I will try to upload another one somewhere in between but I can't promise I will because I will not be around.**


	8. The meeting of enemies

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no money writing this.**

* * *

 **.**

 **Chapter 8: The meeting of enemies.**

"They're late" Draco grunts.

"You sent the letter this morning..."

"And? They still leave me standing here in the burning sun."

"Oh shut up, Malfoy. Just use sunscreen."

"What?"

"Sunscreen. It protects your skin from the sun." Hermione explains while looking around for any sign of her friends.

"I don't need any muggle crap to protect me."

"There are spells too you know." She says knowingly.

"Great, why don't you enlighten me then if you know so much about it."

"No, not if you're going to be a child about it."

"What?!" Draco gasps faking being offended by her words.

Hermione ignores him. It is well past 12 'o clock and here friends are nowhere to be seen. "Where are they?" she whispers to nobody in particular, still scanning the area.

"Maybe they are not coming?"

"Well you can't expect them to show themselves without checking if it is a trap first. They must be around somewhere."

"Do you want me to just stand there all exposed then?"

"Yes" she states simply. He looks at her and raises one eyebrow.

"Really Granger, do you want me dead?"

"That is besides the point." She smiled sweetly at him.

He smiles a little too, although involuntarily.

"Just put up a protection spell and let them come to you."

"Fine, but if I die, know I will haunt you too."

Hermione laughs at that. She doubts it though. If he dies, she will probably just disappear or something. They are linked after all. If she really has to spend her afterlife with only Draco to talk to she will go mad.

Draco walks out of the shadows and stand in the middle of the clearing in front of what is left over of the house and waits with Hermione by his side.

Meanwhile, Harry and Ron are hurdled together in the bushes scoping out the situation, exactly as Hermione figured they might.

"It's the ferret!" Ron whispers. "Do you think he's alone?"

"How should I know" Harry replies. "I know as much as you do."

"This is definitely a trap"

"Maybe." Harry looks around. "I don't see or hear anyone."

"That doesn't mean there is nobody there" Ron remarks.

"I'm going to find out" Harry tells him and before Ron can argue he steps out of the bushes into view. He hears Ron cursing behind him and then hears the footsteps of his best friend behind him.

"Finally" Draco mutters. Only Hermione can hear him.

"You came" Draco states as a matter of greeting.

"Yes, now what is it?" Ron asks rather rudely, wand at the ready. Both he and Harry have their wands pointed at Draco who stands calmly with his hands in his pockets casually.

Hermione looks at her two closest friends and it hits her how much she misses them. She had hoped that her friends would have been able to see her as well. She knew that it was unlikely but she still hoped. Now she knew it isn't the case. She is standing right in front of them. If they had been able to see her, they would have been all over her, asking her if she is okay, why she is with Draco, what happened to her, etc. What she wouldn't give to be able to talk to them, for them to be able to see her and smile at her, to hug them. It has been so long since she has been able to truly feel some warmth. Draco has been acting more kindly to her lately but it is not the same. Everything she says she has to watch out for. She can't just relax and enjoy the comfort of spending time with friends. Why does everything with Draco have to be so difficult?

"I want to help you with Granger." He tells them as he looks from Harry to Ron and back still keeping up his casual demeanour even though his enemies are pointing their wands at him.

"Now why would we believe that?" Harry asks.

"Because she has been haunting me for six days and I want to get rid of her."

Neither Harry nor Ron knows what to say. "Is this your idea of a joke?" Ron asks him.

"Tell them I know Ron wet his pants last year when the twins pranked him" Hermione tells Draco, who starts laughing.

"Weasel wet his..." He asks her, still laughing. "wet his pants?"

"What are you talking about?" Ron asks. All the colour drained from his face. "Who are you talking to?"

"Granger of course" Draco tells him. "She's here. For some reason only I can see her."

"That's insane" Harry says. Still keeping his wand at the ready keeping his gaze firmly at the blonde in front of him thinking that Draco might want him to look around for Hermione to lower his defences and concentration.

"Tell Harry I know he and Luna have been sneaking around since Christmas" Hermione tells Draco.

"Granger says you have been sneaking around with loony Lovegood, Potter" Draco tells him. "Now that's a match I wouldn't have predicted".

"It's no secret that Luna and I are together Malfoy. That doesn't prove anything."

"Tell him I've known since Christmas" Hermione presses.

"She says she has known since Christmas."

Harry looks confused.

"I have known since I saw them together in the attic on Christmas eve." Hermione tells Draco who repeats it for the boys.

"Since Christmas?" Ron asks his friend.

Harry nods. "Say it's true, say Hermione really is here, why are you the only one who can see her? Why would you want to help."

"I told you, I want to get rid of her. But I don't know why I'm the only one who sees her."

"What do you propose to do?" Ron asks.

"I want to see her body."

"No!" Both Harry and Ron tell him at the same time

"No way!" Ron finishes, dramatic gestures and everything. "That is not happening."

"Granger says she might be able to figure out a way to jump back in so to speak if she sees herself."

"Then why doesn't she just come alone?" Harry asks. "She's smart, she'll know where we keep her."

"She can't leave my side."

"That's bullshit." Ron tells him. "Harry, don't listen to this. It's a trap."

"Merlin, I haven't got all day." Draco grunts. "Do you think I'd be here if she wasn't nagging me nonstop for six days? Do you know what would happen if someone sees me here?"

"We'll do it". Harry tells Draco.

"What?!" Ron yells at his best friend. "Have you lost your marmbles?

"On one condition" Harry adds.

"What?" He asks.

"You give us your wand, and we apparate you blindfolded."

"No way!" Draco repeats.

"Draco, they only want you to trust them, as you ask them to trust you." Hermione tells him. "Think about it. They won't risk my life any other way."

"That doesn't matter Granger, I'm not suicidal."

"What is she saying?" Ron asks.

"That's the deal Malfoy, If you trust us we'll take a chance on trusting you. I promise we won't hurt you while you are blindfolded."

"What about after you apparated me to some secret place?"

"Please, Draco". Hermione pleads. He realizes she only uses his first name when she really needs something from him. He also realizes he has no choice. He needs to get rid of her, preferably before tonight. He can't risk her finding out too much about the dark lord's plans. He can't admit to himself that is not the only reason he is helping her.

Harry and Ron don't say anything as they watch Draco talk to the air beside him. It really does look like he is mad. But why else would he be there if he wasn't telling the truth? On the other hand, if rumours are true, he is a Death Eater, and they could be risking a lot when they go to the house.

"I'll do it." Draco tells them and reaches in his pocked for his wand. He hesitates for a moment, realizing he will be completely helpless once he gives it to his enemies. But it is a risk he must take. Harry takes the wand and keeps his pointed at Draco.

"Ron, you go back first. Make sure everything is ready. I don't want Malfoy overhearing anything he shouldn't know."

Ron nods. "Bye Hermione, I hope it works. We miss you." He tells his friend, although he is looking in the opposite direction.

"I miss you guys too" Hermione whispers but it doesn't matter. Only Draco hears her anyway. A moment later Ron is gone. Harry performs a spell to blindfold Draco, knowing that an old-fashioned scarf won't do the trick. He can't risk it coming off when Draco is at his place. Which is where they are going.

"When we apparate, will Hermione be able to follow?" Harry asks Draco.

"Yes." He tells him. "We've done it before. Wherever I go, she goes."

"Okay, here we go then." Harry tells him. He grabs his shoulder and apparatus both of them to the room Hermione is in. Everyone is there. Ron, Luna, Neville, and Ginny. But they know they shouldn't speak. Only Ron can say something. They don't want Draco to find out where he is and who else is there.

"Oh my god" Hermione whispers. "There I am." Hermione stares at her body. This is truly surreal. She looks around the room. She doesn't recognize it, they aren't at Grimmauld place. She sees Harry and Ron stand next to Draco, with their wands pointed at him. She sees Ginny, Neville, and Luna in the corner, also with their wands in their hands ready to use them. Hermione is happy to be seeing her friends, but also sad. Being so close to them and not being able to talk to them or hug them is like rubbing salt in an open wound. This whole 'being a ghost' thing is bad enough.

"Well get on with it then, jump back in so I can leave." Draco replies to Hermione's statement. Nobody in the room responds as they realize Draco is talking to Hermione, assuming what he told them is true.

"Can you thank them for the flowers?" Hermione asks Draco.

"No, we're not here for that."

"You're not here for what?" Harry asks. His wand still aimed at Draco although he cannot see it.

Draco sighs. It's easier to relay the message. He doesn't want them to get any crazy ideas. "She wants me to thank the person responsible for the flowers."

"What kind of flowers?" Harry asks suspiciously. There is no way Draco can know this.

"Lilies" Hermione tells him and Draco repeats it.

"Oh god, it's really true then."

"Yes." Draco replies. "Is it working Granger?"

Hermione hasn't moved. She has used the time-turner in her third year and seen herself many times but this was different. Now Hermione is a ghost. And before her is her body, attached to all sorts of tubes and a beeping monitor. This is strange, even for her.

"Granger?" Draco asks irritated.

"Give me a second." She replies.

"Hurry up would you."

She walks over to her body and looks down upon it. She hesitantly grabs her own hand and goes right through.

"My hand goes right through" She tells Draco.

"Try something else then" He is starting to get frustrated. He blindfolded in the lair of the enemy after all.

"I'm trying."

"Try harder!"

"Shut it Malfoy! This isn't helping!"

"Oh, we're back to Malfoy now are we? What happened to calling me Draco?"

"She calls you Draco?" Ron asks. Then he looks at Harry "Why would she call him Draco?"

Harry shrugs.

Draco is startled. For a moment he forgot they were there. He was so used to it just being him and Hermione, especially when they banter. He doesn't answer Ron who doesn't press the matter any further. Meanwhile Hermione is trying everything she can think of. She even walks straight through herself. She tries grabbing her own wand which is on the nightstand, hoping the link between wand and wizard is strong enough for it to recognize her presence but it isn't.

"Aargh, I don't know what to do. Nothing is working."

"Damnit Granger, aren't you supposed to be smart?"

"Don't speak to her like that!" Ron tells him.

"Why Ron, do you have a little crush on Granger? I must say, she hasn't mentioned you once."

"Shut up Malfoy!" Hermione tells him. "My relationship with Ron is none of your business."

"So there is a relationship then?" He asks.

"What is she saying?" Ron asks almost hopeful.

"She is telling me to mind my own business, Weasel."

"Be nice Malfoy, we can curse you when we want to."

"You promised, Potter. I thought you were supposed to be honourable. Anyway, I must get going. It seems Granger can't figure out a way to wake up."

"Wait, that's it?" Ginny asks earning herself some angry looks from Harry and Ron.

"Weaslette, how nice of you to announce your presence." Draco smirks.

"What is she saying? Is there nothing you can do?" she asks him. It doesn't matter anymore now anyway. He knows she's there.

"What do you propose? Granger can't figure it out, what makes you think you can?"

"Tell the truth, why are you here?" She asks him.

"To get rid of Granger." He says.

"No, that's not what I mean. Why are you _helping_. Why would you risk your life to help her?"

"Well helping her is helping myself isn't it."

"I know Hermione, and she can be a pain in the butt..." Ginny starts.

"Hey!" Hermione exclaims but only Draco hears her of course.

"But in all the years I've known you, you have never once shown any kindness to her."

"What is your point?"

"My point is, you are helping, instead of simply getting rid of her."

"Don't give him any ideas!" Ron tells his sister.

"I'm not. He's smart enough to have figured it out himself. I'm asking you one more time Malfoy. Why are you here? "

Hermione stares at Draco. Ginny is right. It hasn't crossed her mind but she is sure it has crossed his. Why not perform an exorcism or something? Why hasn't he really tried to get rid of her?

"Draco?" Hermione asks.

"It's Draco again is it? What do you want now?" Draco grunts. Harry and Ginny exchange a look but don't say anything.

"I want you to touch my hand?"

"You want me to what?"

"You heard me."

"Why on earth would I do that?" He asks her. The rest of the room keeps quiet, unsure what is happening.

"It might help. We are linked somehow. I don't know why but it means something. If you truly want to help, try it.

"Granger wants me to touch her hand to see what happens."

"That is crazy" Ginny tells him and Ron just glares at him.

"Why?" Harry asks.

"How should I know? Why does Granger do anything? She says we are linked and she wants to try it. She is out of options."

"Okay." Harry tells him. "I'm going to grab your wrist and lead you to her."

"Merlin, what have I gotten myself into. Remember this Granger. You will owe me a favour!"

"Don't be so dramatic." She tells him as she watches Harry guide him towards her body. She holds her breath waiting for what will happen. He touches her left hand and she holds up the corresponding hand. Nothing. No tingling in her fingers or anything.

"Is it working?" Draco asks her.

"No I don't feel any.." A sudden pain hits her and she falls to the floor screaming.

"What's happening?" He screams and lets go of her hand immediately. Hermione is unable to respond. "What is going on?" Hermione just keeps on screaming. "Hermione is hurt! Take off this blindfold I'm the only one that can help her!"

Everyone freezes. This has to be a trick they think. He got them to believe him, got them to take them to their headquarters and now he want to be free.

"This is insane!" Ginny yells.

"Do it." Luna tells Harry.

"What?"

"Let go of the spell. He is telling the truth. I can feel it. Hermione is here. Please Harry trust me. We all have our wands at him there is nothing he can do."

He hesitates a moment longer but Draco yells at him again. "Take off this bloody blindfold someone has to help her." Harry looks around the room and sees that everyone has their wands ready. He still has Draco's wand in his pocket. "Okay" he tells him, although it is more as a warning to his friends he is about to lift the spell. The moment he does Draco looks around the room and sees Hermione on the floor next to the bed with her comatose body in it. But there is no time to reflect on the weirdness of the situation. He kneels beside her.

"What is happening?" he asks her. He completely forgets about the five wands pointed at him. He doesn't even register how many people there are around him.

To Hermione's friends it seems really odd. They see Hermione lying in her bed, comatose and all, and Draco Malfoy kneeling besides the bed speaking to the floor.

"More flashes" She tells him, breathing heavily.

"What do you see?" He asks her, not only worried about her safety now. He also fears what she might see. He has been keeping secrets after all.

"I see Death Eaters" she tells him. Hermione is seeing the same flashes as she saw in her nightmare before. She sees the room she was in again. She feels hopeless again. Excruciating pain overtakes her and a sense that she can do nothing about it. Another flash occurs and she heers a shrill laugh. She recognizes it immediately. It is Bellatrix Lestrange. It has to be. She looks around the room and sees more Death Eaters now than the last time she saw flashes. Bellatrix Lestrange, though masked, is standing in front of her with her wand, laughing at her. She must be the one causing her pain. A little further back, three more Death Eaters are standing watching her like statues. All masked.

"What is happening?" Ron asks.

"Shut up Weasel I'm trying to listen to her!" He yells at Ron before he asks Hermione "What else?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange" she whimpers.

"You recognize her?" Draco asks her.

"Recognize who?" Harry asks.

"Shh!" Draco shushes him.

Then the flash is gone replaced by the next. Only one Death Eater is standing before her now. Hermione doesn't know if what she is seeing now, happened before or after Bellatrix Lestrange tortured her. All she can see through the mask are the eyes. Cold, silver eyes that remind her of death.

"Those eyes again." Hermione continues.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asks her.

"Those cold eyes. They look so familiar."

Hermione becomes calmer now and looks at Draco. She sits up straight but remains of the floor to recover a bit longer.

"It's over." She tells him, surprised to see the worry on his face. Moments later his face becomes unreadable again. But it was there, she is sure of it.

"What else did you see?" Draco asks her.

"I don't want to talk about it."

He nods. "She's okay." He tells her friends.

"What happened?" They ask.

"She collapsed, says she saw flashes of what happened to her. It's stopped now."

"How many times does that happen?" Ginny asks him.

"This is the second time." He tells her truthfully.

"Harry, Ron, can you get over here for a second?" Ginny asks them. She is standing with Neville and Luna already. They walk over without taking their aim off of Draco. They believe him, but they don't trust him.

"I don't know why but I believe he is genuinely trying to help." Ginny whispers.

"I'm not sure. I don't trust him" Ron tells her.

"Neither do I, but you saw his face. He must be an incredibly good actor to fake that kind of emotion."

"Or a psychopath" Ginny remarks.

"Still, what are we supposed to do? We still don't have Hermione back?" Harry asks.

"He can be a double agent" Neville suggests.

"Don't be absurd, Neville." Ron snorts

"No wait guys, it could work. We don't need to tell him what we're up to. But he can help us."

"It could work" Luna backs up her friend.

"What exactly do you propose?" Harry asks her.

"We could use one of the DA coins to communicate with him. He goes back home. Gets us information, and we try and get Hermione back while dealing with the war, with the plan we wanted to discuss with you this morning." Ginny adds.

"How can we trust him?" Harry asks.

"We can't, which is why this is perfect. He has shown he wants to help, or at least do whatever it takes to get rid of Hermione being haunted, and we don't have to feed him information."

"He would never go for that, what's in it for him?" Ron asks his sister.

"He can get rid of Hermione of course! Think about it. If we don't help him, what other choice does he have but to really get rid of her, and not in a way we would approve of. Cast her spirit away or something."

"You're right" Neville adds. "This way we will be able to actually do something instead of sit around and wait for Hermione to wake up. We have to help."

"Okay." Ron agrees finally. Harry is still a little worried but if Ron can see the benefit, the guy who didn't even want to bring Malfoy there in the first place, there must be some sense to this plan.

"Okay" He agrees.

"We have a proposition for you" Ginny tells Draco as she walks back.

"Well, let's hear it then."

"We want you to become a double agent."

He laughs. "Now why would I do that? Who says I want to be on your side"

"You don't have to be, but we can help you get rid of Granger. You can't do it alone or you would've done it already."

"Fair enough. What do you propose exactly?"

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 **Thank you for reading! Please review. Next chapter will be uploaded on Sunday August 30** **th** **. After that I will go back to weekly Friday uploads. Have a great weekend!**


	9. Peter Harrisson

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any other character, nor the magical world of Harry Potter.

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 **Chapter 9: Peter Harrisson**

After an hour of negotiating, Draco Malfoy has finally worked out the terms of his agreement with Hermione's friends. An agreement he is not altogether happy with. They have given him some parchment which will allow him to send and receive messages, but only after a codeword is given, much like the Marauder's map, to make sure nobody else will be able to read it. They had decided that the DA coins would not be safe enough as too many people knew about them already.

"Great." Ginny concludes.

"Perfect." Draco says slightly sarcastic. "Time to go."

"Wait!" Hermione says quickly "Please tell them I miss them and it was nice seeing them even if they can't see me and that I wish them luck and..." There is no need to finish the sentence because Draco simply rolls his eyes and apparates away, leaving a dazed group of friends behind.

"You prick! What did you do that for? Would it kill you to relay a few simple messages for me?" Hermione exclaims feeling the urge to slap him and wishing it were possible.

"Perhaps. Best not risk it." Draco responds dryly and starts ascending the giant staircase and making his way towards his bathroom.

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* * *

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"Well..." Ginny says while sitting down.

"That was..." Ron continues.

"Interesting." Harry finishes.

They all look at each other for a little bit.

"Can we trust him?" Neville asks.

"Maybe not. But we haven't given him any information have we." Ginny replies.

"Should we tell the Order what happened here today?" Ron asks.

"No." Harry decides immediately. "Best not let them in on it. There is no harm in having Malfoy provide us with some answers, but if we tell the order they would confiscate the enchanted parchment and the whole plan would crumble along with any chance of getting Hermione back."

"We could get her back another way." Luna suggests.

"No, there is no other way. If there was any other way we would have found it by now. She has been in a coma for weeks!"

"Don't you think it strange that Malfoy said Hermione has been haunting him for six days, considering the attack on her was weeks ago?"

Ron agrees with his sister. "Yeah, that is strange."

Harry, Luna, and Neville nod.

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* * *

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A few minutes later, Draco enters the room with a towel around his waist and one hand ruffling through his damp hair. Hermione stares at him again but he doesn't notice, he walks over to the next room and when he gets back he is dressed in dark jeans and dark shirt, Muggle clothing looks odd on him but he looks very handsome in it. Hermione can't help it but every time she sees him like this she feels her cheeks flush. _'Why does he have to be so sexy? That makes it too damn hard to hate him. Of course, he is helping me now. Maybe he isn't all bad? Get a grip Hermione...'_ She tells herself _'He is a Death Eater. Don't forget that.'_

"Ready to go?" Draco asks her, more as a formality than a real question. Of course she is ready, she is a ghost and has to follow him around, what could she possibly need to do?

Hermione nods. "Where are we going?" she asks him.

"We're going to Scotland, in the Muggle world." He tells her.

' _That explains the outfit'_ Hermione thinks to herself but just nods. Draco apparates and Hermione finds herself being dragged with him. When she looks around she finds herself in the woods again. What do these Death Eaters have with the woods? They walk in silence for about ten minutes. To Hermione it seems like they are randomly walking in any direction but Draco must know where they are going.

"Draco?" She asks him tentatively.

He looks at her questioningly which Hermione sees as a sign to continue.

"Uhm, don't get me wrong, I'm glad you are, but why are you helping me?" She keeps her head down and looks up at him through her eyelashes.

"I told you, to get rid of you" he answers and looks away again and keeps walking.

"Oh come on. You don't agree to become a double agent just to get rid of me."

He doesn't answer her and keeps staring out into the woods. Hermione feels it best not to push the subject. After a few minutes of walking in silence he finally answers her, really softly.

"Maybe I want out" he tells her. It is almost a whisper and Hermione doubts for a second if he even said it or if it was just something she imagined. She could read no emotions from his facial expression but she could feel him being uneasy, nervous maybe. She doesn't know what to say. A million questions run through her mind but she has a sense that she needs to tread lightly while they are on this subject.

"Okay" is all she says to him. She mentally slaps herself feeling silly for saying that. Another few moments of silence follow.

"Did you even want to become a Death Eater?" she asks him. She looks at him but he doesn't look at her.

"No" he says firmly.

"Then why did you?" she asks.

"I had to."

"What do you mean?"

He stares at her, frustrated. "Did you really think I had a choice, with my family being involved already?"

"Everyone has a choice" she tells him.

"It isn't that easy, granger, it was become a Death Eater or die."

"I would die."

"No Granger, you wouldn't. Not many people would. You can't know what you would choose if you haven't been in that position."

"I wouldn't be able to hurt people like you do." She tells him.

"Another lie. Everyone wants to believe they are so good, but in times of war, each side does horrible things to the other while justifying it by telling themselves they are on the right side."

"Draco... do you truly believe that pure-bloods are better?"

He stares at her. She looks sad. He has a feeling she is asking questions she is afraid to hear the answers to. He stops walking and turns towards her. Hermione is walking behind him looking at the ground, avoiding his gaze, and doesn't realize he is standing still until she is right in front of him and sees his feet. She looks up at him and he is staring down at her. Hermione can tell he feels conflicted, but about what she isn't sure. She is standing too close to him to be comfortable but she doesn't want to take a step back and let him know.

"I did" he tells her.

"Did?"

"Yes Granger, did. I have grown up, I have seen things."

She just nods.

"Don't judge me. I have grown up learning that Mudbloods don't have a right to magic."

She flinches at the word Mudblood.

"Everyone I knew believed this."

"That doesn't make it true."

"You believed in Santa when you were little, just because people told you about him. Does a fat guy in a sleigh watching all children and bringing presents to the good ones once a year sound realistic to you? You believed it anyway until someone told you it wasn't true."

"Actually, I figured it out for myself." She tells him.

"Of course you did..." he grunts. He turns around and continuous his quest. Hermione mentally slaps herself again. _Why did I have to say that? He was finally opening up._

"How do you even know about Santa Claus?" She asks him, following him quickly. For a ghost she has a lot of trouble keeping up due to all the branches she needs to step over. Why can't she just float?

"Draco?"

"What?" he snaps.

"You don't believe in it anymore then?"

"I never believed in Santa Claus, Granger"

"That is not what I meant and you know it."

"No, I don't believe blood status matters anymore." He tells her with a sigh.

"What changed?" She asks him but he shushes her.

"Shut up Granger we are almost there."

"Well they can't hear me anyway so what does it matter?"

"They can hear me and you keep asking questions expecting answers."

"Fine." She says, her tone being a bit childish. Draco rolls his eyes and looks around a big tree he is standing behind, hiding himself. Hermione steps next to it, not having to hide her invisible self. They are standing on the edge of a cliff. Looking down she sees a lake in the middle of the forest. It seems strange, like it doesn't belong there, and she wonders if it was created by nature or magic. There is a waterfall right next to them. Hermione realizes she has not been paying a lot of attention to her surroundings while she was following Draco blindly. She looks around and sees a small river close by. She can hear the water rushing through the river and crashing down on the lake below her. She hears birds chirping and leaves rustling, probably form squirrels or rabbits or something. She looks at Draco now. He has a nervous look on his face. He is studying the lake and waterfall. Why she doesn't know. Although it seems like an odd place for such a lake, it truly does seem like a simple lake. However, if it is magic made, there is probably more to it.

"Draco?" she whispers, and then feels silly. What is the point in whispering? The situation seems like it calls for whispers though.

He doesn't respond. He doesn't even look at her.

"Draco." She urges a little louder. "What are you doing?"

He looks at her now and jerks his head towards the lake. She looks in that direction again, trying to figure out what it is he wants but she is unsure.

"What?"

Draco rolls his eyes again. Slowly he steps around the tree, carefully stepping over branches on the ground walking as quietly as he can towards the water. Then, without hesitation, he jumps in.

"What are you doing?" She gasps.

He doesn't answer her.

"Draco, are you mad?"

He dives under water and when he comes back up again he is much further down the stream. Hermione quickly runs his way. She sees he is close to the edge, a little bit further and he will fall down the waterfall, something he will probably not survive.

' _Oh my god!'_ Hermione realizes something. _'He is suicidal! He is going to end it all.'_

Suddenly Draco turns to face her. "Don't be so dramatic Granger, I'm not going to kill myself."

"What?" she gasps.

"This is not a real waterfall." He explains. "This is the way to get to our destination."

Well, that would have been her second guess.

"Did you just read my thoughts?" She asks wide eyed and afraid.

Draco turns away from her. "We have to go, we don't have much time."

"Draco Malfoy!" She demands "Don't you walk away right now, or swim away for that matter. I demand an answer."

Draco, clearly not impressed, dives under water again but this time he does not come back up. After a full minute Hermione feels a headache coming on. _'Great. He left and now I can't follow him´_ she thinks. Her head is starting to pound more and more by the second. Taking a leap of faith, Hermione jumps in the water, takes a deep unnecessary breath out of habit, and dives under water as well.

Hermione dove under water on purpose but finds herself being dragged further and further down. The water is swirling around her making her caught in an underwater tornado or something. She can't breathe, she doesn't need to but her body is still responding to the lack of control, the lack of air. She wants to scream but being under water, this is not a good idea. A slight panic attack overtakes her. Then, all of a sudden, it is over.

Hermione is on hands and knees on the ground. On cold, wet, forest ground. She is coughing and has her eyes shut tight. "Are you okay?" A voice asks her softly. She looks up at the source of the voice. When has that voice started to sound familiar and safe? She is glad to hear he is next to her and looks up at him. Draco's grey eyes stare at her. Is it concern she sees in them? Or is that just her imagination? Draco is looking drenched. His white blonde hair is laying flat on his head sticking to his forehead.

She then looks around. Behind her is the waterfall. It is as if they went through it at the bottom and ended up in a secret space behind it. She looks ahead and sees a little cabin in between trees. The woods seem to continue here. It is very strange how the world in front of her does not match the world behind her. By now, she is used to the weird situations the magical world can bring her though.

The cabin looks old. The dark wood it is made out of seems fragile, as if the whole thing can come crashing down any moment. Plants have overgrown half of the sides and a big branch is going straight through the roof on the right.

"Is that where we are going?" She asks Draco.

He nods.

"Why? What is in there?"

"Not what, who." He answers.

"Who?" she asks.

"Peter Harrisson."

Hermione looks at him questioningly.

"You'll know soon enough." Draco answers her unanswered question. Hermione nods and follows him to the cabin.

Carefully, Draco makes his way to the cabin and circles it with his back against the wooden exterior. He glances in a couple of the windows but sees nothing. ' _Must be a protective enchantment'_ Draco figures. When he reaches what Hermione figures is the back door he takes a deep breath and without further hesitation blasts the door open with the use of the Bombarda spell. Hermione follows him inside.

At first glance it appears as if nobody is there. It seems like an old vacation home. Small but cosy with lots of chairs, couches, poufs and many decorative pillows in all sorts of colours and patterns that do not match at all.

While Hermione is looking at the interior, Draco is running around looking in every room.

"Impedimenta!" Hermione hears Draco yell in another room. She quickly runs towards the noise and finds Draco standing over an old man with grey hair on his mostly bald head and a small beard. He must be a wizard, Hermione determines based on the clothes he is wearing. Hermione doubts the necessity of the binding spell Draco cast as she doubts the man can run away from them anyway. He might be eighty years old.

"Tell me your name." Draco demands.

"Why should I state my name?" The old man asks calmly. "You are the one intruding in my home."

"Answer the question" Draco grunts, his wand pointed at the poor old man. Hermione admires how calm the man is with a Death Eater pointing his wand at him and keeping him bound in place.

"Is this really necessary?" Hermione asks Draco.

"Shut up" he whispers.

The man looks up at Draco and studies him. Clearly, his old age has not impaired his hearing.

"Not alone, are we?" He asks.

"Are you Peter Harrisson?" Draco demands, ignoring the man's question.

"Who wants to know?"

"I'm asking the questions." Draco shouts.

"Well forgive me young man, but I am very old and being held by your spell here on this cold, hard, ground is not making me feel like answering any questions. Perhaps if you release me, we could talk over a cup of tea?" The man is still talking very calmly and even smiles a bit at Draco. He does not seem to feel threatened at all. He reminds Hermione a bit of Dumbledore, she wonders if they were friends.

Draco tilts his head to the side. He is not quite sure what to do. Hermione realizes he must not have done this before, interrogating someone. He must have always been with other Death Eaters, or perhaps, he was never a very active Death Eater.

"Give him a chance." Hermione urges. "It's an old man, surely you would be able to take him if he tries anything." She continues, hoping to manipulate Draco by boosting his Malfoy pride. It seems to work too because Draco nods.

"Don't try anything, Peter." Draco warns.

"Mr. Harrisson would do, boy." He answers.

"Malfoy." He corrects. "My name is Malfoy."

"Very well, mister Malfoy. Would you care to lift the spell now?"

Draco nods and indeed lifts the spell but doesn't take his aim off of the man.

"The kitchen is through here." The old man tells Draco as he turns his back on him and walks through the door slowly, as would be expected of a man his age.

Hermione is intrigued by the man. A Death Eater is in his home, one that clearly wants something from him, and the man remains calm and offers the intruder some tea. That is truly amazing. She wonders for a second if it is all a ruse and if the man, named Peter Harrisson apparently, will make a break for it once he is in another room. However, this does not appear to be the case as he is now, in fact, making tea.

"Please, take a seat." Peter offers Draco, who shakes his head and remains standing.

"What did you come here to talk about, mister Malfoy?"

"I think you know what I am here for." He answers.

"Even so" he smiles "please tell me."

"Horcruxes."

Hermione looks up at him. The term sounds very familiar but she isn't quite sure why. Perhaps she learned of the term just before her attack, a period she still can't remember.

"Ah yes. Of course." Peter takes a seat and pours some tea for himself and Draco.

"Tell me what you know of them." Draco demands and remains standing. Peter, however, ignores him and takes a sip of his tea.

"I'm afraid I can't help you."

"I believe you can." Draco tells him, getting more and more impatient by the minute.

"You see, I don't work for Death Eaters."

"Perhaps you would feel different after I torture you." Draco grunts.

The man smiles at him.

"You don't seem like the type."

"Crucio."

The man starts to writhe in pain and drops his cup of tea which smashes into a million pieces on the ground. Hermione gasps.

"Draco stop!" Hermione yells. He does, but not because she wants him to. He only meant his curse as a warning.

"It seems I was wrong." Peter Harrisson pants.

"Start talking."

"Not so fast. I need to clean up this cup." Peter tells him as he slowly gets up.

"Leave it!" Draco yells. This man is truly infuriating and Draco is getting very impatient.

He doesn't say anything but he sits back down.

"Speak."

"What would you like me to say?" He asks calmly.

"Everything you know." Draco drags his hand through his hair. What is he supposed to do with this man? "You need to tell me what you know about Horcruxes or I will need to take you with me to the Dark lord."

The wheels in Hermione's head start spinning.

"And if I do answer your questions, you will have to kill me I'm sure."

Draco doesn't respond to his statement but both men know it's true.

"You don't need to take him to Voldemort." Hermione tells Draco who looks at her now.

"You can take him to Harry!" she exclaims.

"Are you out of your mind?" Draco demands. Peter Harrisson doesn't respond. He seems to realise Draco is no longer speaking to him.

"Think about it Draco. Whatever he knows, it could help Harry."

"He would kill me!" Draco cries out. He is so distracted by Hermione he has lowered his wand unconsciously and doesn't notice Peter Harrisson reach for his own.

"Expelliarmus!" They hear and Draco's wand flies across the room.

"Incarcerous" Draco yells. Even without his wand in his hand, ropes appear out of nowhere binding Mr. Harrisson. It is in this moment that Hermione realizes what advanced magic Draco is capable of. Draco jumps towards his wand and is just in time as Peter Harrisson, although tied up, still has his wand in his hand and shouts "Lancarum Inflamarae".

Draco blocks the spell easily. "Expelliarmus" he counters and catches the wand of Peter Harrisson skilfully. He turns back at Hermione.

"What do you propose?"

"Let's take him to Harry and the others. Perhaps he will talk to them. You could tell Voldemort that he was not at home when you came here. That the place was deserted."

"That will never work."

"Well, handing him over to the Death Eaters will not do you any good either. You said you wanted out, here is your chance to help!"

Draco contemplates the idea and cannot come up with a good plan at the moment. He doesn't want to deliver this old innocent man to Voldemort, but bringing him to Harry Potter might very well cost him his life.

Draco takes some parchment out of his pocket, grunts something Hermione can't make out, and scribbles something on it, then he walks over to Mr. Harrisson, places his hand on his shoulder, and apparates them both to the burrow, where Harry and Ron are waiting for him, notified by the enchanted parchment that he would be there with important information. Of course, Harry and Ron did not expect the important information to come in the form of a tied-up old man.

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 **Thank you for reading! Reviews are much appreciated.**


	10. Horcruxes

**Disclaimer. I do not own anything but the plot. J.K. Rowling is the wonderful person who created Harry Potter and the world he lives in.**

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* * *

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 **Chapter 10: Horcruxes**

Harry and Ron are quite surprised when Draco appears outside of the burrow with a tied up old man with him.

"What is going on?" Ron asks.

"Who is this?" Harry adds.

"This, is Mister Peter Harrisson. He knows a lot about Horcruxes."

"About what?" Ron asks and the look on Harry's face shows them he is equally confused.

"Horcruxes." Draco repeats. "Just take him with you and get some answers out of him. But don't let him go. If the Dark Lord finds out I gave him to you, he will have my head."

"I don't understand" Harry tells Draco. "What are Horcruxes?"

"Ask him" Draco says pointing at Peter Harrisson. "Do you know who this is?" Draco asks mister Harrisson while jerking his head towards Harry.

The man nods. "Harry Potter." He turns to face Harry. "It is an honour to meet you."

Harry nods, unsure what to say since he doesn't know who this man is.

"Great." Draco exclaims. "He seems to like you, Potter. Take him and question him about Horcruxes so you can get this whole thing over with." He pushes the old man towards Harry and Ron. Peter staggers a bit as he is still tied up by ropes.

"Draco!" Hermione gasps. "What was that for?" He doesn't respond but apparates back to Malfoy manor.

Harry places his hand on Peter Harrisson's arm and apparates them both back to the safe house and Ron follows by apparating himself.

.

* * *

.

"Hello" says Ginny as the three men arrive. They are in the living room of the safe house.

"This, is Peter Harrisson." Ron introduces the newcomer. Harry unbinds him.

"I'm sorry for the constraints." Harry apologises. "Please take a seat, sir. Would you like something to drink?"

"Thank you mister Potter. I would love some tea."

"Harry is fine." He tells him. He never likes it when people call him Mister Potter. Harry looks at Ginny indicating he wants her to go get some tea, but the redhead is not going anywhere, she wants to know what is going on.

"Ron, go make tea." His sister tells him.

"Why do I have to go?" He whines.

"Just go, Ron. Don't be so rude." She tells him. Ron goes off to the kitchen muttering about things being unfair.

Peter Harrisson takes a seat on the sofa. They are all quiet for a bit, unsure what to do next.

"Um, I'm very sorry sir. But I don't know who you are or what I am supposed to ask you." Harry tells the man honestly.

"That is quite alright son. I understand Albus never mentioned me. Only to protect me I'm sure."

"You knew Dumbledore?" Harry asks surprised, and takes a seat opposite the man in a chair. Ginny sits down on the arm of the chair.

"Oh yes, Albus was a dear friend of mine. Thank you, Ron was it?"

"Yes sir. Ronald Weasley." He answers and takes a seat on the left side of the man in a chair. The three four of them make a triangle now.

"How did you know him?" Harry asks, getting the conversation back on track.

"I attended Hogwarts, many years ago. He wasn't headmaster yet back then."

Harry nods.

"What are these Hocuxes that Malfoy was talking about?" Ron asks.

"Horcruxes. They are objects containing a part of a person's soul." Peter explains.

"Wait" Ginny exclaims. "I know about them." She jumps up and runs out of the room without further explanation. Harry and Ron exchange a confused look but return their attention to the man in front of them passing off Ginny's behaviour as one of the many unexplainable things women do.

"Why would someone put his soul in an object?" Harry asks.

"You cannot put your entire soul in an object son. You rip your soul into pieces and put a part of it away. This makes one immortal."

"That doesn't sound very pleasant." Ron comments.

"It is not." Peter agrees.

Ginny runs back into the room with Hermione's diary in her hands. Luna and Neville follow her and pull up chairs to form a big circle.

"This is what we wanted to talk to you about Harry." Ginny tells him. "We believe Hermione was studying Horcruxes and that it might be why the Death Eaters wanted to attack her."

"Why would the Death Eater's care what Hermione was studying? She studies everything." Harry asks.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ginny asks him. "Who would want to split their soul to become immortal?"

"Voldemort." Harry whispers looking at the ground thinking about the information.

"So Voldemort split his soul, and that is why he didn't die that night in Godric's hollow?"

"Exactly!" Ginny tells him.

"But Hermione believes there are more Horcruxes. She has written about Tom Riddle's diary, you know, the one that possessed me in my first year at Hogwarts and made me open the chamber of secrets. Hermione believes that this was a Horcrux as well."

"So he has made multiple Horcruxes?" Harry asks. "But we destroyed the diary."

"Yes!" Ginny exclaims. "That is the good news they can be destroyed."

"So if we destroy all of them..." Harry looks at Mr. Harrisson for confirmation "Voldemort can be killed?"

Peter nods.

"But there could be many of them? How are we supposed to find out how many there are and what they are?" Ron asks.

"Well" Peter tells the group "creating a Horcrux is very dark magic. It rips the soul into pieces making one immortal, but also vulnerable. The piece that is left becomes very unstable. Nobody has been known to create multiple Horcruxes. However, Dumbledore shared the theory of this Hermione you speak of. We were, in fact, trying to track them down last year."

"Have you found any?" Ron asks him.

He reaches inside his pocket and pulls out an old locket. He hands it to Harry. "This, Mister Potter, is what Albus and I found the night he passed away."

Harry examines the locket in his hands. "Is this a Horcrux?"He asks. "It seems harmless."

"That is because it is harmless. It is a fake."

"So where is the real one?" Harry asks.

"I'm afraid I don't know." Peter takes another sip from his tea. Ginny thinks he looks very tired.

"How many Horcruxes do you think there are sir?" Harry asks him.

"Hermione believed there were seven." Ginny tells them.

Peter nods. "Albus shared that theory."

"You don't believe there are seven?" Harry asks him.

"Well, I have faith in Dumbledore, but nobody has been known to create more than one Horcrux, let alone seven. It seems highly unlikely."

Harry nods. "We shouldn't underestimate _him_ " Neville interjects. Him and Luna had been very quiet up until that point. The group nods in agreement.

"Albus has found another Horcrux." Peter hands over Marvolo Gaunt's ring, what is left of it anyway.

"I've seen Dumbledore wearing this ring. Is the part of Voldemort's soul destroyed?"

"Yes. When Albus destroyed the ring, the part of his soul was destroyed as well."

"Okay. So, where do we start looking for the rest of them?" Harry asks the group.

Ginny is the first to answer. "Hermione wrote down her theories about that. She wrote that the Horcruxes were likely to be objects that mattered to him or represent something powerful."

Again, Peter nods. "This ring you hold belonged to his grandfather, Marvolo Gaunt. The locket, the real locket, belonged to Salazar Slytherin."

"Well, that is a start. So what do we really know about him?"

Peter Harrisson starts telling Harry everything that he knows. He starts at the beginning, with a story about Voldemort's mother and the Muggle she fell in love with. He tells the group how she put a spell on said Muggle to make him fall in love. How she died and how Voldemort ended up in an orphanage but never really fitted in because he was able to do things the other boys couldn't. How Albus had told him about his visit to the orphanage and telling the young boy he was a wizard and could come to his school of witchcraft and wizardry. Peter then told everyone how he fitted into the story. How he attended Hogwarts the very same year and was sorted into Slytherin. That Tom Riddle was his friend. Peter even admitted that he used to look up to him. The boy that excelled in every class. Being his friend was a privilege, and helped with bullies. Nobody made fun of Tom Riddle and his group of friends that didn't regret it later. He then tells them about Professor Slughorn and the Slugclub.

"That is when I first learned about Horcruxes." Peter explains. "I had a strange feeling for a while, but this was when I first truly started to doubt whether being Tom Riddle's friend was such a good idea after all. Of course, I was too afraid to do anything at this point. That is where Albus came in. He had a great instinct and just knew something was troubling me by looking at me one day when I passed him in the hallway. But I couldn't tell him about my fears. It was years later when I confessed what I had learned to Albus. Many, many years later. Two years ago, actually, when I read that you claimed he had returned, Mister Potter, after the tri-wizard tournament." Peter takes a sip of his tea to give everyone some time to let his words sink in. He has spoken for at least half an hour by now and everyone has been listening to him intently, not interrupting him once.

"Do you have any idea what the Horcruxes could be?" Harry asks. "Did Dumbledore have an idea?"

"Well, we know he chose something from his heritage, his grandfather's ring. And we know he chose something from the founder of his house at Hogwarts. Albus told me he always had a fascination with the school and tried to stay there as a teacher after he was done studying himself. He also returned years later to try again. Albus suspected he might have chosen an item of every one of the founders of the Hogwarts houses. If there is another Horcrux which symbols Gryffindor, Huffelpuff, and Ravenclaw, along with the ring and the locket, and of course the diary, which would already be six Horcruxes and only one would remain."

"What could that seventh Horcrux be?" Ginny asks.

"Albus believed it was a person actually. Some of you might have known him as professor Quirrell. You, Harry, destroyed him."

"So three out of the seven Horcruxes are already destroyed?" Ron asks.

"Yes, mister Weasley, indeed."

"So we need to find something from the other three houses then?" Harry asks.

"I believe so." Peter agrees.

"Well, one Horcrux might be at Hogwarts." Ginny says. "If he truly had such an obsession with the school."

"We can look for it when we return to school." Luna says.

"I don't think I am going back. Not without Dumbledore. Not when I should be searching for Horcruxes."

"I'm with you mate." Ron tells his best friend.

"You could come with" Harry tells his girlfriend.

Luna shakes her head. "No Harry. I need to go back. My father believes it to be the best decision."

"Hogwarts isn't safe without Dumbledore." Harry argues.

"I'm sorry but I have to go back. I could look for a Horcrux there too. With Neville and Ginny."

They all agree and decide to divide the rolls. They have three Horcruxes to find before Harry can attempt to kill Voldemort. Harry and Ron will go to places which mean something to Voldemort. Starting with Godric's Hollow. Neville, Luna, and Ginny will go to Hogwarts and research the founders of the school for any objects that are significant and where these objects might be at the present day.

.

* * *

.

"What are Horcruxes, Draco?"

He looks at her and turns around in his chair. He is sitting at his desk in his study as usual and Hermione is sitting in the window seat. Her favourite spot in his house.

"They are objects containing a piece of someone's soul."

Hermione looks confused. "I knew that already." She tells him.

"Then why did you ask me?" Draco answers irritated.

"No, I don't mean just now. I knew that before."

"Before what?" he asks. Then it hits her. She knew about Horcruxes before she was attacked. In fact, it is why she was attacked. She was sneaking of to a public wizard's library in Diagon Alley to look up more about Horcruxes when she was taken.

Hermione falls to her knees grasping her head. "Aargh" she screams. She is seeing flashes again. She feels the pain she felt. She sees Bellatrix Lestrange standing in front of her, laughing that evil laugh of hers. She is masked but Hermione is certain it is her. There is no mistaking that laugh.

" _Kill her" Bellatrix says to one of the masked Death Eaters behind her. "She is no use to us." She disappears in a wisp of black smoke along with the other Death Eaters in the rooming leaving only one of them behind. A tall, slim, masked Death Eater. She doesn't recognize the person but imagines it being a man from the way he walks over to her. He stares at her with cold, silver eyes. Eyes that make Hermione shiver._

" _Crucio." He says. He doesn't yell. There is no venom in his voice. She is all alone in this dark, damp, basement or bunker or whatever the hell this place is, and she is completely at the mercy of the silver-eyed Death Eater in front of her who is causing her unimaginable pain. He stops for a second and looks at her. Hermione tries to keep her eyes open to stare back at the Death Eater in front of him. Her eyes flutter but after a little while she manages to keep her eyes open._

" _I'm sorry, Granger" the Death Eater tells her. Hermione recognizes the voice._

" _M... Malfoy?" she manages to stammer. He takes of his mask. There is no point now. He stares at her with a blank expression._

" _Don't do this, Malfoy."_

 _He doesn't say anything._

" _I swear to Merlin you will regret it if you kill me Malfoy. I will haunt you and make you miserable." She stares at him challengingly, prepared to fight until she takes her last breath._

" _Crucio." He says, pointing his wand at her and she doubles over in pain again, as far as her constraints allow her to move._

The flashes are gone. Hermione is still on her knees and slowly draws her hands from out of her hair and rests them lightly on her knees. She takes a deep breath as she feels the pain slowly fade away. When she opens her eyes Draco is on his knees in front of her looking worried.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

Hermione stares at him but doesn't answer. She stares at the boy in front of her, on his knees, with a worried look on his face. He is so different from the boy she saw in her vision.

"Hermione, what is wrong?" He asks her.

She jumps up and backs away from him.

"Get away from me!" She yells and holds her arms out in front of her more as a reflex than any actual protection.

Draco takes a step towards her. "Hermione what's wrong? Talk to me please." He pleads.

"Stop!" she yells but he doesn't. He doesn't understand.

"Hermione please tell me, what did you see?"

"Stop!" She screams at the top of her lungs. The glass on his desk, the mirror on the wall, the lamp hanging from the ceiling, and even the glass in the windows shatter as Hermione screams. Draco ducks covering his head with his arms. Her looks up at her, still worried and even more confused than before.

"You!" She spits. "It was you!" she continuous.

"Hermione..."

"Those eyes. Those cold eyes. Your eyes!" she accuses. She looks down on him.

He understands. He has feared she would find out ever since she first started getting visions of the attack. "I can explain..." he pleads standing up slowly holding his hands up in front of him as a sign he isn't coming any closer and he doesn't.

"Explain what, Malfoy? That you are the reason I am in a coma? That you knew exactly what happened to me all along and never told me? Why? Were you afraid I would become a true poltergeist and hurt you or something? What, Malfoy, what could you possibly say to me now?"

"I was supposed to kill you." He mutters.

Hermione blinks. "You were supposed to kill me?" she asks and pauses for a second. "What, am I supposed to thank you or something? Thank you for only torturing me into a coma instead of killing me? Killing me would have been the merciful thing to do Malfoy!"

"Hermione please..."

"Don't call me that!" she snaps. "As a matter of fact, don't call me anything. Don't speak to me at all. Leave me alone." And she runs out of the room. Draco doesn't follow her.

.

* * *

.

 **Thank you for reading! Please review.**


	11. Voldemort

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise belongs to J.K. Rowling, including the direct quote of the prophecy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Voldemort**

A week goes by and Hermione has avoided Draco ever since she found out about his role in her current condition. _I should have known. I knew he was a Death Eater. Of course he was involved. They probably thought he could get the information out of me because he knew me or something. How could I have been so stupid? And to think I actually believed him when he said that he wanted out, that he believed differently than the Death Eaters... It was all a load of bull..._ Similar thought have been swirling around in Hermione's mind this week. She feels terribly lonely. Draco is the only one she can talk to and he is the last person she wants to see. He probably won't help her now that his secret is out, she worries. But the opposite is true. Although he hasn't left Malfoy Manor in the past week, he has been working on saving her life this entire time. He has read every book on magically induced comas and the effects of the Cruciatus curse he could get his hands on.

Meanwhile, Harry and his friends have been busy as well. They started researching the founders of Hogwarts and have made a list of items that could possibly be Horcruxes and where they might be. They spoke to the order of the phoenix at last about what they had been up to and after a long debate, got the green light to do what they needed to do. Not that they could be stopped, they are all seventeen by now. Except for Harry, of course, but his legal guardians have no say in what he does or doesn't do, as long as he does it far away from them they are okay with it. Harry and Ron went to Grimmauld place nr. 12 and had an interesting week. They found out who R.A.B could be. The initials that were written on a note inside the locket that mister Harrisson had given them. Along with the help of Harry's House Elf Kreacher they have located Mundungus Fletcher who informed them that the real locket is currently in the possession of the women that gave Harry the scars on the back of his hand. This woman goes by the name of Dolores Umbridge, and is working at the ministry of magic which is under the control of Voldemort himself. The two boys are currently trying to come up with a plan to steal the locket from her.

Now, everything is about to change. The moment Draco has feared for a week has arrived. He is being summoned by the Dark Lord. Not only will Draco have to face Voldemort, Hermione will have to face Draco.

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* * *

.

Shards of glass fly across the room with a loud crashing sound. "What do you mean you didn't find him?" Roars Voldemort.

Draco is standing in a dark windowless room. He has to report to Voldemort after his mission to find Peter Harrison. Obviously, it isn't going very well. Hermione was dragged with him when he apparated. This is the first time Hermione sees Draco after finding out he put her in a coma. However, he isn't looking at her. She can't blame him given the situation.

"I... I'm sorry my lord. He wasn't there." Draco stares at the floor as he answers.

"I... I.." Mocks Voldemort. "Crucio!" He yells pointing his wand at Draco who falls to the ground on his knees. His whole body is shaking from the pain the curse brings him but he doesn't scream. Leaning on his hands and knees he bites his lower lip to prevent himself from screaming, from showing any weakness. Hermione is not sure whether to find it admirable or plain stupid when she sees some blood dripping down his chin.

"Tell me, Draco" Voldemort continues as he casually fingers his wand with those creepy long, death looking, fingers of him. "What use are you to me? You couldn't kill Dumbledore, you couldn't kill Potter's Mudblood sidekick, and you couldn't even find Harrison let alone kill him either."

Draco doesn't respond. He doesn't know what to say and even if he did, fighting the pain coursing through his body to stay conscious takes up all his energy. Hermione falls to her knees besides Draco. There is nothing she can do for him. She can't even place her hand on his back for comfort. Seeing him in pain makes her realise she isn't angry with him. She doesn't want to see him hurt. It is all so confusing.

Voldemort releases the curse leaving Draco panting on the floor.

"Get up." He snaps. Slowly, Draco stands up but he needs to hold on to a chair to keep his legs from giving in. A second later he is able to release the chair and stand on his own. He tries with all his might to stand up straight and show nothing of the residual pain left in him ignoring the way every muscle in his body is protesting.

"I should kill you." Voldemort tells Draco casually. Hermione gasps but Draco doesn't respond. He is not even truly surprised. "I should kill you and make an example out of you."

"Draco, he can't" Hermione says. Draco doesn't look her way but keeps staring at his feet instead.

"Not pleading for your life are you?" Voldemort snickers. "Any last words boy?"

"Draco!" Hermione pleads. "Draco, tell him something! Tell him you know the prophecy!" Draco steels a quick glance her way from the corner of his eye.

"I can still be useful." Draco begins slowly looking up at the Dark Lord without lifting up his head. "I have learned the prophecy." Voldemort raises the wand he had pointed at Draco.

"The prophecy?"

"Yes." Draco says.

"Well get on with it boy don't keep me guessing!" Voldemort roars.

" _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches."_ Hermione tells Draco and he repeats it, trusting her to help him. At this point, it wouldn't matter anyway considering Voldemort already wants him dead.

" _Born to those who have thrice defied him, born at the seventh month dies, and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies_." Hermione tells Draco slowly enough for him to be able to repeat it. Draco looks at his lord sternly the entire time he cites the prophecy. Voldemort is pondering the words of the prophecy, considering all it implies.

"Leave!" he yells suddenly. Draco doesn't need to be told twice and apparates away immediately, taking Hermione with him automatically. Looking around Hermione finds herself back in Malfoy Manor. She has to blink a few times. This is very sudden. One moment they are standing in a dark room with Lord Voldemort threatening Draco's life, and the next they are safe in his house.

"Why did you give up that information?" Draco asks her as he turns to face her.

"I had to do something. He was going to kill you."

"You should've just let him kill me then!"

"Don't say that Draco."

"Why? What have I ever accomplished? My life is worthless."

Hermione doesn't know what to say to this. He stares at her for a bit, his breath still racing from the emotions burning inside of him. Fear, anger, relief... When Hermione doesn't face him and he has calmed down a bit he walks away towards his bedroom.

Draco lets himself fall back onto his bed with his arms and legs spread. He sighs deeply. After a few moments he props himself up on his elbows and looks at Hermione.

"Thank you for saving my life today." He says quietly.

"You are welcome." She smiles at him. "For what it's worth, I'm glad he didn't kill you."

He smiles back at her. "Yet."

"Draco..." she walks over to him and sits down on the corner of his mattress with her legs crossed, leaning towards him slightly on her left arm.

Draco lets himself fall back down on the mattress again and stares towards the ceiling. "What? It's true." He says.

Hermione sighs.

"Potty better hurry up defeating him or I might not live to see it."

Before Draco can drift off to sleep they hear a soft knock on the door.

"What the hell? It is the middle of the night!" Draco grunts angrily. "What is it?" He yells a little louder and a House Elf reluctantly opens the door. Hermione has not seen this particular elf before. She looks terrified to have to disturb her master at this hour. Wearing the signature look of an enslaved elf, the filthy rags she wears as clothes combined with the terrified look on her mousy little face make Hermione feel really bad for the elf.

"Mister Zabini is here for you master."

"What does he want?" Draco barks.

"He did not say, master Malfoy." The elf looks at her feet as she wiggles her weight from one foot to the other in the doorway.

"Fine, tell him I will meet him in my living quarters in five minutes."

The elf nods and quickly retreats.

"Did you know he was coming?" Hermione asks Draco.

"No I did not." He sighs and gets up. He walks over to his bedroom but leaves the door open a bit. Through the opening Hermione can see Draco studying himself in the mirror. He looks tired, she thinks. He splashes some water on his face and smoothes his hair back with a damp hand.

"Let's see what he wants shall we" he says to Hermione as he passes her on his way to his living room.

"There you are!" Blaise greets him.

"Hi."

"Well aren't we in a mood." Blaise laughs, his observation of his best friend's mood being spot on.

"I was going to sleep. You know I don't like to be disturbed when I sleep."

 _There is the spoiled brat I remember._ Hermione thinks to herself.

"Oh boohoo. Did the princess not get her beauty sleep?" Blaise mocks.

"Shut up. Why are you here?"

"We are going out. Theo, Greg, Vince..."

Draco steals a look from Hermione. She thinks he looks worried. Quickly Draco looks at his best friend again before he will be called a _crazy_ princess next for talking to the air.

"Not tonight man, I don't feel up for it."

"What do you mean you don't feel up to it? Come one, a little Muggle-hunt never hurt anyone."

Hermione gasps.

"It will make you feel better." Blaise continues.

Hermione stares at Draco but doesn't know what to say. _Is this for real?_

"Not tonight, Blaise." Draco says sternly.

"What are you afraid of? The ministry is ours. We can do what we want. Heck, we might even be rewarded for this."

"That's not it."

"Don't tell me you've gone soft."

"Of course not." Draco counters. "I just don't want to go out tonight."

"You know, you really should try a little harder. Word is going around that the Dark Lord is not particularly happy with you Drake."

"Well that is my problem then isn't it?"

"Damn, sorry for caring. I'm doing you a favour. And I'm warning you. You'd better get back on his good side, sooner rather than later."

"Thanks for the warning, mate." Draco says but his tone betrays him and all three people in the room can tell that it is insincere.

"Whatever, man. Get your sleep. We don't need you to have fun." With that, Blaise stalks off and disappears into the night when he disapparates the moment he leaves the room. Blaise Zabini has a flair for the dramatic, apparently. He could've apparated away where he stood.

"Draco?"

"Oh, don't you start, Granger. I know what you are going to say?"

"What am I going to say then?" Hermione crosses her arms.

"That hunting Muggles just because we can is wrong. That Blaise was wrong saying nobody was ever hurt by these things because we hurt the Muggles."

"I wasn't going to say that." She says stubbornly. "But that is very true of course."

"Just leave me alone." Draco sighs.

"Fine."

"Fine!"

.

* * *

.

The next morning, Draco apparates straight to the Burrow where Harry awaits him and apparates him back to the safe house. Draco tells him that he has told the Dark Lord about the prophecy.

"You what?!" Harry shouts.

"I had to; he was going to kill me." Draco explains.

"So?" Ron is clearly as angry as Harry is.

"What do you mean ' _so'_?" Draco spits back. "Granger is linked to me remember, you should want me alive and well."

Ron grunts. "You shouldn't have told him about the prophecy, though."

"Hermione told me to tell him." Draco explains.

"I figured as much." Harry sighs. "You couldn't have known." There is a moment of silence.

"Ask him about Mr. Harrison" Hermione urges Draco.

"Did you speak to Peter Harrison?" Draco asks Harry.

"Yes. He has been quite helpful. Come in." He invites Draco; opening is arm towards the end of the hallway he came from, which leads further into the house.

"No." Draco tells him. "I should go. People might realize I am gone and the Dark Lord already has me on his naughty list. I don't want to attract more attention to myself. I just wanted to give you a heads up." Hermione snickers at the Santa reference to their conversation earlier.

Harry nods. "Thanks."

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! Please review!**


	12. The bet

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot. J.K. Rowling is the Genius that came up with Harry Potter and the worlds he lives in.

I would like to thank everyone who has left one or multiple reviews. I really appreciate them and they make me smile!

* * *

 **Chapter 12: The bet**

Two months later...

July passes quickly and Hermione doesn't speak much to her friends. Everyone is busy and the only contact Hermione has with them is through the enchanted parchment that Draco has gotten from Harry. However, they don't use it much for everyone's safety. Hermione knows that by now five Horcruxes are destroyed. That means that her friends have found and destroyed two more, besides Tom Riddle's diary, Marvolo Gaunt's ring, and of course Professor Quirell. She doesn't know any details. All the note said was 'five down'. She guesses they have found the locket as the last she heard Dolores Umbridge had it and they were making plans to steal it. It means they have found another Horcrux that Hermione doesn't know about. It doesn't matter what it is though, as long as it is destroyed.

Harry's birthday passes and Hermione isn't even able to wish him a happy birthday. Draco worried it would be too dangerous congratulating a mysterious person through enchanted paper on the exact same day as the birthday of the boy who lived. She still feels like she is missing a big moment in a friend's life. He is seventeen now which means that in the wizarding world, he is now considered an adult. As the weeks pass Hermione feels more and more lonely. Granted, she and Draco are getting closer. It seems that she has finally grown on him. And even though she doesn't want to admit it to herself, he has grown on her too. But she blames the fact that he is the only person who can see or hear her for that. She can't actually like a person like him of course, that would be silly.

When Draco isn't working on his mission, he and Hermione were usually playing chess. Hermione never liked the game before but playing with him was actually quite amusing. Draco and Hermione are both very competitive and the more they played, the more Hermione learned about the game and about his tactics. She is a quick study after all. All through July they have been playing chess together and it never got old. Now they don't even know how many matches they have played anymore.

Feeling a little cocky after finally winning her first match, Hermione says "Let's up the stakes." She believes she has finally become Draco's equal and she knows his tactics and signature moves.

Draco's eyes sparkle mischievously. "What do you propose little Gryffindor?"

Hermione leans forward on the little table they always use to play chess.

"If I win this game you will need to do something nice for at least one of your house-elves."

"Really? That is what you want to bet?"

"Tonight!" she quickly adds, knowing Draco too well. He would probably agree and then postpone it again and again because there was never a time limit on the bet.

"Fine. But if I win..." He thinks about it for a moment. What can you ask of a ghost? "If I win you will have to answer three questions truthfully."

"Only if I have the right to not answer if the question is too personal or something. Then, you need to come up with a new question."

"That is no fun. You can refuse to answer a maximum of two times. Then you will have to answer."

Hermione thinks it over for a bit. Is she really good enough to beat him two times in a row? Will she risk it? Draco is smart enough to leave the questions he really wants an answer to till after she has refused to answer twice.

"Okay, but only if you let me say what act of kindness you have to perform." She says.

"I am not going to be handing out clothes." Draco tells her sceptically.

"That is okay, I have something else in mind." Hermione smiles at him. Well, more of a smirk really. She is definitely spending too much time with her Slytherin rival.

"Okay deal. If I win you have to answer three questions truthfully and can only refuse to answer two times, and if you win I will have to do something nice for one of my servants and you will decide what, anything but freeing them is an option."

"Agreed." Hermione nods and smiles at him.

"Great. Let's start then." Draco wiggles his eyebrows and laughs. Clearly he feels like he is going to win. He has won most games but Hermione feels really confident now.

The chess match lasts half an hour and for a long time it was unclear who would be winning this one. Both were playing really well and studying each other's faces for a clue as to their next move.

"No!" Draco slides his chair back and stares at the board in shock. "No no no no!"

Hermione jumps up. "Checkmate!" Hermione can feel his shock and embarrassment. She has actually won. And he didn't let her win, or he wouldn't be feeling like this.

"I can't believe this!" He is still shaking his head looking mortified.

Hermione is doing a little victory dance that makes Draco roar with laughter. Hermione smiles at him.

"Watching you do that awful dance made losing worth it." He laughs. "Go ahead. What is it I have to do?"

Hermione sits back down and crosses her arms. She leans forward onto the table again and smirks. "You will have to ask the House Elf that is cooking you dinner tonight to prepare his or her favourite dish for two."

Draco cringes. He can guess what comes next.

"And you have to invite that same House Elf to eat it with you at the table as an equal and you have to make polite conversation."

"No that is two nice things! Either polite conversation or dinner." He cringes as he says it. "Wait, three actually! The cooking, the dining together, and the polite conversation."

"Asking them to cook their favourite meal is not an act of kindness. That would be you cooking it for them. Or not, I doubt you have ever prepared a meal." She laughs.

"I can cook, thank you very much!"

"Fine, dinner then. But don't be a complete arse!"

Draco presses his right hand to his heart. "I would never!"

Hermione laughs.

As instructed, Draco asked his House Elf Carrie to prepare her favourite food for two people, and when she placed the plates on the table Draco asked the elf to join him. At this, the Elf burst into tears and dropped to the ground.

"Really? Master Malfoy wants Carrie to eat with him? At the table?"

Draco shoots Hermione a hateful look saying _'this is all your fault'_.

After fifteen minutes of Draco trying to calm the elf and keep her quiet so that she doesn't alert the entire mansion she finally takes a seat at the table next to Draco.

Draco looks at his dinner. Apparently, the elf loves cheese. She has prepared a sort of cheese quiche with lots of cheese on top and a side dish of, wait for it... even more cheese. Draco sticks his fork into it and it takes him almost a full minute to be able to separate one bite because strings of cheese between his fork and the food on his plate keep becoming larger and larger.

Hermione is laughing behind Draco and she is none too subtle. The scene in front of her is too hilarious. The elf Carrie is looking as if she has won the lottery or something and fully enjoying her favourite dinner with her master at the table as an equal. Draco, on the other hand, is struggling to take his first bite of a meal Hermione can imagine, no human would enjoy, and he is looking really sulky. He shoots her a nasty look as he sees her tumbling over laughing, steadying herself by holding onto the table.

' _I will get you for this'_ Draco thinks to himself. But the next day, even he can see the humour into the whole situation.

.

* * *

.

More weeks pass and July becomes August, and August is soon making way for September. A little while ago, the news came that every young wizard and witch must attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And, as a cherry on the cake, their _beloved_ potions professor turned defence against the dark arts professor, will be their new head master. Draco is packing his bags and mentally preparing himself for the coming months. He is very grateful that the last two months have been blissfully uneventful and he can go back to Hogwarts where he is sure he will not be ordered to go on any more missions. Of course, he did have a job. He was supposed to be looking for Mr. Peter Harrisson all this time and for all they knew, he was. Luck, Draco calls it, that none of the Death Eaters found out where the man really was. He stayed in a safe house of the Order of the Phoenix all this time. That meant that Draco could actually go out and search for him, even with other Death Eaters accompanying him, without ever worrying of finding him and giving away his secrets. Because of this mission, and the fact that Draco delivered the prophecy to Lord Voldemort at last, Voldemort went easy on him and left him alone. As long as Draco sent regular updates on his progress and did everything he could to cooperate in finding Peter, he was off the hook for any other missions.

Surprisingly, Hermione has not seen Blaise Zabini in the remainder of the summer. Nor any other friend of Draco's for that matter. Draco has been either alone in his house or out searching for a man he would never find anyway. It the remainder of the time, he was practicing his flying out by his house, or playing chess with Hermione.

.

* * *

.

September 1st.

Draco is sitting in a compartment of the Hogwarts express with his so-called friends he hasn't seen all or most of the summer. Theodore Nott, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, and Pansy Parkinson, and of course Blaise Zabini. The boys are all quiet staring into space while they pretend to listen to Pansy going on and on about how fabulous her summer was and how much she missed her Drakey while she was in Paris and Rome and all the other places Hermione quickly forgot about. Hermione stands with her back against the door the entire time. Hours and hours she stands there, afraid that if she sits down someone's arm might accidentally go through her. She tried walking through the corridor but it was so small and so crowded that this was not a good idea and she came back to Draco's compartment before she could even find someone she recognized.

"Look, Potter's friends" Theo calls out after they got off the train. The group walks over to Ginny, Neville, and Luna, who are walking towards the carriages that are about to take them to the castle. "Looks like Potter himself isn't here."

"You guys are soooo losing the house cup this year!" Pansy laughs. The boys soon laugh as well. Only Draco can manage is a half-hearted smirk.

"Who cares about that this year anyway?" Neville grunts but they couldn't hear because Ginny quickly says with a smug look on her face "Like slytherin even stands a chance. The only two in the running are Gryffindor and Ravenclaw."

"Why, because those are you're houses?" Pansy asks confused.

"That's right. It means that we will beat you" Ginny says. "Come on, let's go" she tells her friends and the three of them walk away.

"They get weirder every year." Theo shakes his head. The Slytherins also make their way towards the carriages. Draco walks in the back which allows him a chance to look at Hermione.

Draco raises an eyebrow,

"I got it." She tells him.

Draco nods and faces forward again quickly.

Hermione can't help but smile. Ginny is a year younger than her but she is very smart. None of the Slytherins, except for Draco, realizes the redhead was telling them which Horcruxes were left to find. One that belongs to Ravenclaw, and one that belongs to Gryffindor.

.

* * *

.

To Hermione's surprise, most of the teachers she knew stayed at Hogwarts. Either to protect the students or because they were too frightened to leave.. All muggle-born witches and wizards are rounded up on the first day of school and taken away on the Hogwarts express. However, Hermione doubts the train is taking them back home. Besides the missing students, everything at Hogwarts is surprisingly normal. They have classes, homework, exams, Peeves the poltergeist making their time difficult... Students are tense though. You see don't see as many groups of people talking and laughing in the hallway and out on the grounds. Mostly, people hurry back to their common rooms after classes or eating. Being a ghost gives Hermione the privilege to get close to people undetected and listen to their conversations. Granted, those people need to be standing relatively close to a certain blonde Slytherin, but she is still pretty free. At least it gives her something to do other than count the hairs that fall in Draco's face as he is leaning over his desk or staring out onto the same garden every day through the window of his study in the Malfoy Manor.

The Slytherins generally feel mightier than ever. Their _'we are better than everyone'_ attitudes have gotten much worse now that their beloved professor Snape is head master. Of course, most of their families are involved with the dark side and Hermione can imagine they might feel invincible right now. All they know is that the wizarding world is theirs. The Dark Lord is back and more powerful than ever, Dumbledore is dead, and the ministry of magic is under Voldemorts command. What they don't know is, that the Order of the Phoenix and even a handful of students is fighting the power of the Dark Lord by destroying bits of his soul.

"Drakey" Hermione hears Pansy purr as the girl is leaning towards Draco on the couch in the Slytherin common room.

"Why don't we take a walk and find a more _private_ place for us to talk?"

"You have got to be kidding me." Hermione rolls her eyes. This makes Draco smile but Pansy takes it as encouragement.

"I have missed you over the summer. We have a lot of catching up to do." She continues. Pansy takes Draco's hand and guides him over to the exit of the common room. Hermione rolls her eyes but follows them.

Pansy giggles as she walks out in front of Draco dragging him with her by his hand. Draco looks at Hermione and smirks. Hermione sighs. Why was she linked to him again?

Pansy does not seem very interested in catching up on summer holiday stories as she pushes Draco through a portrait hole that leads to a secret passageway. Hermione knows it. Ginny has told her about the times she used this corridor for some alone time with Dean Thomas, a boy she used to date. _This must be the Hogwarts version of a make-out spot._ Hermione deduces.

Pansy pushes Draco against the wall and presses her body against his. _The girl doesn't waste time._ Hermione thinks. Draco is looking over Pansy's shoulder as she kisses his neck. His face shows the ever annoying Malfoy smirk.

"Bastard." Hermione mutters but the smile on his face tells her he heard her just fine.

"You are a real arse, Malfoy. I know you are enjoying this!" Hermione accuses pointing her finger at him. "And don't forget I can feel your emotions and I know that amusement is NOT because of _her"_ She points at Pansy "but because you know I have to be close to you and I can't really escape you now can I." Hermione is getting really pissed.

"Maybe you're just jealous." A voice in Hermione's head is saying. Yet, the voice sounds an awful lot like Draco's but his lips weren't moving. She gasps.

"What is this?" She demands.

"Legilimency, my dear Granger." Draco looks at Hermione intently. Pansy is quite oblivious to the whole thing as she is currently unbuttoning his shirt and kissing her way down his chest.

"That's impossible." Hermione looks terrified. "I'm a ghost."

There is no time to iron out the details of what is or isn't possible. All Hermione knows for sure is that she wasn't mistaken when she thought Draco read her mind back at the waterfall two months ago. How long has this been possible? How much of her mind has he read? When Pansy is fumbling with Draco's belt buckle Hermione turns around in a flash, disgusted by the scene behind her and terrified of the idea that Draco could be reading her thoughts and even plant thoughts. Draco snickers as he watches his poltergeist rushing away through the wall.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked it. Next chapter will be on Friday the 25** **th** **. Please review.**


	13. The end

Disclaimer: I make no money with this story, I write it for fun. All credit to J.K. Rowling.

* * *

 **Chapter 13: The end**

Hermione looks over Draco's shoulder "That's incorrect" she tells him.

He scowls at her.

"I think I would know more about this spell than you do Granger, seeing as Potter has used it on me." A voice inside Hermione's head sounds. He can't talk to her directly because he is currently in a deadly silent examination room working on a defence against the dark arts test. This subject is being thought by the headmaster himself, professor Snape. Now that he is headmaster and can basically do whatever he wants, he has decided to teach his students about some of his own invented darker spells.

"It is still a wrong answer. The Sectumsempra spell can cut a person or object very precisely and deliberately."

"Are you joking? My entire torso was slashed open by Potter. There was nothing precise about it!"

"I sat through the same classes you did Draco. The placement and depth of the slash depends on the waves of the wand." She tells him matter-of-factly.

"So you are saying that Potter doesn't know how to operate a wand?" He almost snickers but manages to keep it to himself. Draco doesn't want to attract any attention to himself after all.

"I am saying that Harry didn't know the spell and just tried something on you to see what would happen and that might have caused the effect on you to be even more severe."

"What was Potter doing trying out dark spells on fellow students? He should have been expelled for that!"

Hermione scoffs. "You're one to talk! You let Death Eaters into the castle. You used unforgivable curses and kept Madame Rosmerta under the Imperius curse for months! If anyone should have been expelled it should have been you."

"I didn't have a choice and you know it Granger! I had to do all those things to keep the Dark Lord from hurting me and my family."

"You had to do something but you still chose your methods yourself." She argues.

Suddenly, their little banter is interrupted by Snape when he tells his classroom to put down their quills. Draco gasps. Half of his answers are blank because he was spending all of his time arguing with Hermione, he forgot to finish the test.

"Damn you Granger!"

"It's not my fault you didn't finish your test!"

Draco shoots Hermione a nasty look. The rest of the day he is in a foul mood. Even his friends notice and steer clear of him. A moody Malfoy is a dangerous Malfoy. That evening, however, the test is the last thing on anyone's mind. Who cares about something as trivial as a failed test when a war is literally on their doorstep? And that evening, it is.

.

* * *

.

"HARRY POTTER" a voice sounds through the entire castle.

' _He's here? Harry is here?'_ Hermione is looking around frantically. She has no idea what is going on.

"You have one hour to meet me outside the Hogwarts gates. If you fail to meet me, we will storm the castle and hundreds of pointless deaths will be on your hands. Students, you must not fear. Anyone is welcome to join me. All of you, are worthy, pureblood witches and wizards. I wish none of you harm. Do not fear my power, become a part of it. Bring me Potter, alive, and you will be rewarded."

All around her Hermione can see students and teachers alike running in all possible directions.

"Draco!" She yells. He turns to face her. He looks terrified as well.

"Find Harry! I need to talk to him."

But Draco doesn't move. He seems glued to the floor.

"NOW!" she barks. He nods and starts running toward the Gryffindor tower. Why is she not surprised he knows where the Gryffindor common room is? On the stairs Draco bumps into Neville.

"Neville!" he exclaims.

"Oi! It's you!" Neville says.

"Is Potter here?" Draco asks.

"Yes."

"Did he destroy them all?"

"One more left. They destroyed Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem this morning. We think that's what tipped him off to Harry's location."

Draco nods. "Do you know the Gryffindor object as well?"

Neville nods and looks around to see if someone is listening to their none too subtle conversation. But nobody cares why a Gryffindor and Slytherin boy are talking in the midst of all of this craziness. "Actually, we think he only used objects from three of the four founders. Harry thinks the last Horcrux the snake."

"Of course!" Hermione shouts. "The snake! I always felt that Voldemort kept him too close and the control he had over the snake was uncanny, even for a Parselmouth!"

"What can I do?" Draco asks.

"Kill the snake!" Neville shrugs but he is already starting to disappear in the crowd.

"How?" Draco yells after him.

"Basilisk's fang!" Neville shouts over his shoulder. Now he is gone. Draco is leaning against the side of the stairs and almost loses his balance when it starts to move sideways and disappear into the wall as a sign that the staircase will change positions soon. Draco quickly runs down a few steps onto another flight of stairs.

"You need to find Harry" Hermione reminds Draco.

"Didn't you hear Longbottom? We need to kill the snake."

"No! We need to talk to Harry?"

"Why?"

"Because... Because..."

"What, Granger? Just say it!"

Tears start to run down Hermione's cheeks but she looks Draco straight in the eye when she tells him "Because I believe Harry is also a Horcrux."

"What?! That is insane."

"No it's not. Draco, you have no idea. Harry has been able to see inside Voldemort's head when he felt strong emotions. Voldemort has been able to plant false visions in Harry's head. Harry speaks Parseltongue when nobody in his family could. I have searched his entire family tree. And the prophecy: _Neither can live while the other survives._ Harry controls a bit of Voldemort's soul. As long as Harry lives, Voldemort can never truly be at his full power. And as long as Harry lives, Voldemort can never truly die."

"But if Harry is a Horcrux..."

"He must die before Voldemort can die." Hermione finishes his sentence. "You see! I need to talk to him! I need to say goodbye. Please Draco! Let me see him one last time."

Draco nods.

The pair is almost at the big front doors when they hear a small voice behind them.

"Hermione!" It is Luna. Both Hermione and Draco turn around. She is sitting at the bottom of the stairs, tears running down her face.

"What happened?" Draco asks her.

"He's gone. Harry, he has gone to meet him. This is it."

Hermione feels like a stake is being slammed through her heart. She can't breathe and stumbles down onto the stairs next to her friend who can't see her. "I'm too late." Hermione whispers.

Draco looks down on the two crying girls in front of him and can't help but feel for them deeply. He can't imagine what they are going through. They are all so close. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Ginny... For a second Draco wonders if someone would cry for him like this but he pushes the thought away quickly. This is not about him.

"I wish I could hug you." Draco whispers as he sees tears rolling down Hermione's face. She doesn't look up at him. He isn't even sure she has heard him. She is really crying by now. Her face is in her hands on top of her knees and her entire body is shaking from the sobs.

Luna is looking up at him and sees that Draco is not looking at her. "You can hold me instead." She offers. Draco looks at her. Hesitantly he sits down besides the quirky Ravenclaw and when she pushes her face against his chest he reluctantly puts his arms around her. Nothing is being said. All Draco hears is the crying of the two girls in front of him. It is eerily quiet in the castle. Draco doesn't know what to feel, really. After a while the girls calm down a bit and Draco releases Luna who is still leaning against his shoulder although she stopped crying and is now staring into space, speechless. How long have they been sitting there? Minutes? Hours? Draco doesn't know. He looks over to Hermione. She too has stopped crying and is staring ahead. Her face is red from the crying and she looks very tired.

All of a sudden, with a small 'pop' Hermione is gone. Draco jumps up, startling Luna.

"What's wrong?" Luna asks him.

"Hermione! She's gone!"

"What?!"

"I don't know what happened!" Draco is looking around frantically as if she might be standing right behind him as some sort of a cruel joke.

They hear cheering outside. Both Draco and Luna look up towards the noise and then exchange a look before they run outside to see what all the commotion is about. They see Harry, alive and well, and he appears to have defeated Voldemort. The war is over. They are safe.

Luna runs towards Harry and jumps in his arms.

"I didn't think I would be seeing you again!" Luna exclaims.

"Neither did I." Harry smiles.

All around Draco people are hugging and smiling. Everyone is looking for the ones they love and although they mourn the ones they have lost, right now joy is in the air. Everyone except for Draco is celebrating this victory. He is more lost than ever. He gives Harry and Luna a few minutes. Well maybe half a minute but it takes everything he has not to walk over and interrupt them right away. After all, he wants to know what happened to his poltergeist.

"Excuse me." He says with a flair of annoyance and the pair stops snogging to look at him.

"Hermione is gone."

"What do you mean?" Harry asks.

"She disappeared. We should check on her body if everything is okay."

"I'll find the others." Luna says and kisses Harry on the cheek before she runs off.

"Let's go. We can't apparate here." Draco reminds Harry who nods and follows him. The two of them start running away from the castle. Farther and farther they run until they are out of the proactive barrier. Harry grabs Draco's wrist and apparates the two of them straight to the safe house where Hermione's body is hidden.

Draco is really worried what he might find there. Has she died? Is that why she is gone all of a sudden?

To his relief Draco sees Hermione sitting up in her bed when he rushes into the room.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaims and rushes by her side. Seconds later Ginny, Ron, Neville, and Luna arrive as well. Harry is hugging Hermione and Ron is next in line. Draco remains in the doorway, smiling like a fool. He never thought he would be so relieved to see that she is okay.

"Give her some space guys" Luna tells them "let her breath for a moment. The group of friends back away a little bit but are still not giving Hermione any time to acclimate to her surroundings.

"Are you okay?" Harry asks her.

"How are you feeling?" Ron adds.

"We need to check your blood pressure and everything" Harry states.

"Are you hungry?" Ron asks Hermione. "You must be hungry you haven't eaten in forever"

"She got her nutrients through the IV you dummy" Ginny tells her brother. Draco laughs at the display in front of him. He is not entirely sure how to feel. He is happy Hermione is awake and realises it isn't just because he is now rid of his poltergeist, but because he actually cares that she is okay. ' _Have I actually developed feelings for her?'_ he wonders, but he doesn't have time to elaborate on the thought as Hermione gasps and stares at him with big eyes.

"You!" Hermione looks frightened but also angry. Her friends turn around looking confused.

To Hermione's horror her best friend is smiling at her worst enemy. What is going on? Draco approaches the bed and smiles at Hermione. She backs away so quickly she actually falls from the bed dragging a bunch of tubes and cables with her she is still attached to. Quickly she pulls them off of her. Her legs struggle to hold her weight but the adrenaline rushing through her keeps her up.

"Get away from me" Hermione yells keeping her hands in front of her. Draco freezes and looks confused. Why is she acting like this?

"Mione?" Ron says questioningly. "What is wrong?"

"What is the Ferret doing here? Where is my wand? Why aren't you doing anything? He is a Death Eater!" Hermione rants now with her back against the wall.

"Hermione calm down." Ginny tells her and tries to place her hand on Hermione's arm but she slaps it away. She looks around the room and sees Ron's wand sticking out of his back pocket and quickly seizes it and point it towards Draco.

"What are you doing here?" She demands. Draco doesn't know what to say and looks at Ginny and Harry who also seem at a loss of what to do.

"Hermione, please calm down" Harry tells her. "He is here to help. He has been helping us find a way to bring you back from your coma. He has tried to save you." He explains calmly.

"Save me?!" she gasps. "He did this to me!" she shouts. Draco cringes. Hermione had known about this and made peace with it as a ghost but he never told her friends. Hermione and he both decided it would be best not to if he wanted to be able to keep working with them.

"What?!" Harry, Ron, and Ginny all yell and turn to face Draco.

"You don't understand" Draco stammers and takes a step forward but stops when he now has Harry and Ginny pointing their wands at him as well and Ron looking murderous even without his wand.

"I think you better leave" Harry tells Draco coldly.

"Let me explain" Draco pleads.

"Leave!" Ron yells.

Draco is taken aback. He doesn't understand. Clearly Hermione doesn't remember the time they spend together while she was a ghost but her friends know that he has been helping them. They know he is a Death Eater. He is reporting back to them for crying out loud as a double agent! Why would they turn on him so quickly without hearing him out? He apparates back to Malfoy manor and leaves Hermione with her friends. Draco sits down at his desk in his study and looks around the room. It is really quiet and feels really empty. He looks at the window seat where Hermione sat every time he was working, yapping the entire time to either try to distract him or because she was simply bored. "Aaargh!" He yells in frustration and swipes his arm over his desk throwing everything around the room including all of his papers and a glass that shatters into a million pieces with a loud shattering sound. Draco takes a deep breath and sits down on the chair behind his now empty desk. What is he supposed to do now?

* * *

 **This is not the end of the story. Only the end of the war and Hermione's time as a ghost. Thank you for reading! Next chapter will be uploaded on Friday the 2** **nd** **of October. Please review.**


	14. The morning after

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas in my head and make no money writing this fanfiction.

* * *

 **Chapter 14: The morning after**

Water is crashing all around Hermione. She closes her eyes and lets it fall on her face, taking in the warmth of the shower. She feels the drops fall on her head and shoulders and sighs. About a week ago she woke up from a coma. She has missed almost six months of her life and she has missed a lot. The first thing on her mind when she woke up was why Draco Malfoy, the Death Eater she knows tortured her, was standing there without any of her friends reacting to him. However, as soon as she learned all that had happened the past months, she pushed Draco Malfoy from her mind.

Harry has defeated the Dark lord and thereby ended the war, unfortunately, not without some casualties. Fred Weasley is dead, a tragic loss his brother George is suffering from especially, as well as his brother Bill Weasley. Hermione lists the losses mentally: Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin, who leave a baby boy an orphan. Severus Snape, who according to Harry, was in fact a good person and on their side after all, and Alistar Moody although that one she had known about of course. Lavender Brown, a girl she detested because of her relationship with Ron and the jealousy it made her feel. Of course, she never wanted the girl to die. Hermione feels sad about her death. Her jealousy seems petty now. Lavender is not the only Hogwarts student that did not survive the final battle. Colin Creevy and Vincent Crabbe both died as well. Dobby, the House Elf that she had come to know very well over the years, gave his life to protect Harry. And finally, Bellatrix Lestrange. Hermione has mixed emotions on that death. Relief, of course, that the woman who killed Sirius Black and tortured her is no longer out there and capable of hurting anyone. Happiness too, for the same reason. But also, dare she admit, regret, that she isn't able to hurt Bellatrix for the pain she has caused her. However, this feeling is easily outweighed by the relief and happiness. Hermione doesn't remember any of these deaths because of her coma. She never had a chance to say goodbye to them. Of course, if she had been at Hogwarts for the final battle she probably wouldn't have been able to say goodbye either, but she would have been prepared at least.

Hermione's shaking shoulders give away that she is crying. Her tears are washed away by the shower but they are definitely flowing. It is all too much. Finding out she has been in a coma for so long, finding out so many people she knew and cared for have passed away in the meantime, but also the knowledge that the war is over and the dark times have passed. It is all very overwhelming.

It doesn't take Hermione long to find a new routine. She hasn't missed her friends because to her, it seems like she has seen them yesterday. For her friends, more time has passed. Every now and then Hermione notices they hug her extra long before leaving the house, or stare at her longer than usual across the room. She doesn't mind, she can imagine what they must have been going through with so much going on, having one of their friends in such a critical condition. But everything turned out okay for her. She has no memory loss whatsoever, which she knows can happen sometimes to people who wake up from a coma that seem to miss years of their lives and don't know they are married or divorced or have kids or something. She is very lucky, she remembers everything up to and including the attack that landed her in the coma, although that last bit she wouldn't have minded to have forgotten. But all in all, she is one of the lucky ones.

Draco Malfoy on the other hand, does not feel so lucky. He has been feeling horrible ever since Hermione has awoken. He remembers everything that happened during her coma. He remembers playing chess with her, and getting to know her over researching ghosts in the library of his home and walking in the woods, and her rambling while trying to distract him. He remembers how she used to sit in front of his windows and stare out of them for hours, hugging her knees and looking dreamily as if she was not completely there. He remembers how her hair, which wasn't as bushy as it used to be, would fall in ringlets across her back, with that one pesky little curl that always fell in front of her face, the one he has wished so many times to be able to tuck back behind her ear. He remembers her getting annoyed with him every time he teased her friends, or told them Hermione had said they looked awful or did something wrong, when in fact it was an observation of himself made to annoy both Hermione as well as her friends. He remembers the way she used to look at him every time he undressed and went out of his way to show her his muscular stomach and back, while trying to seem casual and relaxed. The slight flush on her cheeks as she realized she was staring at him.

But those aren't the only things he remembers. He remembers the look on her face when she saw the dark mark etched in his forearm for the first time, and the horror struck expression when she realized what he had done to her. He also remembers her screaming and begging him to stop when he was torturing an innocent Muggle-born witch on orders of the Dark Lord. And what especially haunts him, is the look on her face as she fled from him after waking up from the coma knowing nothing but horrible things about him, having lost all of the memories of them together. That final memory, pains Draco more than anything.

He realizes he misses her. The Malfoy Manor is so quiet without her. Even the House-elves try to stay away. Granted, he always wanted it that way, but now it made him feel alone and frankly, a little sad. The war is over. People all around him are celebrating this victory while mourning those they have lost. Draco feels numb, and a little self-pity maybe. He is neither happy nor sad that the war has ended. He doesn't mourn the casualties of the war. Not even his friend Vincent Crabbe. All he mourns is losing Hermione, who is not dead but lost to him none the less. Not that it matters. Nothing matters. Not the progress he had made with Hermione, because she doesn't remember any of it anyway, nor the work he has done to help Harry win the war, as he has received a letter earlier today that he is accused of being a Death Eater and has to appear in front of a court of judges for a trial which will most likely end in a one-way-ticket to Azkaban.

Blaise walks into Draco's sitting room and drops himself into a chair casually with his legs over one of the arms. He is holding up a letter.

"November 6th. 12 'O clock." He tells Draco who takes the letter from him and after a single glance throws it on the table. Draco walks over towards the corner where he pours some fire whiskey out of a liquor cabinet into two glasses. He hands one to his friend and holds up his own glass as if making a toast on their trial dates.

"November 14th. 4 P.M." A clink of the glass touching can be heard before the two boys swallow the fire whiskey in one big gulp. Draco sits down as well with a deep sigh.

"Well, I'm not too worried mate." Blaise tells him. "They cannot prove anything. There are no witnesses alive to testify what I did to them, and even if there were, I could say I was under the Imperius curse."

Draco stares at his friend, unsure what to feel about his statement.

"What?" Blaise asks, noticing his glaring friend. "I'm not going to Azkaban for playing with a few filthy Muggles or Muggle lovers."

Draco walks back to the liquor cabinet as an excuse to not have to look at his old friend.

"Maybe we deserve it." He mutters. Unfortunately, Blaise hears him.

"What did you say?"

But Draco doesn't repeat it.

"What is wrong with you? Why are you so depressed? They were Muggles and Mudbloods and Blood traitors. You can't seriously feel sorry for that lot."

Draco grinds his teeth. "So what if I do?"

Blaise tilts his head to one side and stares at Draco. "You are not the Draco Malfoy I know."

"Maybe I'm not." Draco grunts.

"Whatever, I'm out of here. Good luck with your trial."

For some reason, Blaise's 'good luck' doesn't seem sincere. Before Draco knows what is happening his friend is out the door.

.

* * *

.

"I think we should tell her." Ginny says sternly with her arms crossed over her chest.

"No way." Ron counters.

"She is going through enough already! She has missed months of her life, a lot have people have died in that time. Everything is different now that the war is over. She has enough on her plate without the confusing news of Draco Malfoy putting her in a coma by means of torture but then helping her wake up from it." Harry backs up his friend.

"But isn't that just what she needs? Some good news?" Ginny asks.

"Well, we are throwing a Halloween party tonight aren't we? Isn't that happy enough?" Harry asks.

"Yeah! And besides, who says it is good news about Malfoy?" Ron crosses his arms now too and is towering over his little sister who is not that easily intimidated.

"Did you see his expression when he saw that she woke up and was okay? I believe he genuinely cared for her in the end."

"We don't know what happened all those months she had to follow him as a Death Eater. He bullied her in school and now she could have been his personal verbal punching bag to let off some steam."

"That is just an assumption, Harry. Who says he did that? Looks don't lie. He was happy she woke up and devastated when she reacted to him the way she did."

"So what, you think they had a secret affair or something?" Ron asks.

"Of course not. But at least they may have built a friendship or something."

"Well she has enough friends. Real friends. She is alive, awake, and well. She doesn't need him anymore so I vote we don't tell." Ron argues.

"I agree" says Harry raising his hand.

"Two against one little sis. You can't tell her."

"Aargh" Ginny makes out and stalks off.

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 **Thank you for reading! Reviews are much appreciated!**


	15. Halloween

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Halloween**

"Happy Halloween!" Ginny smiles brightly at Hermione who is leaning with her back against the kitchen counter.

"Happy Halloween." She replies and musters a small smile.

Ginny looks up and down Hermione and can see the fatigue from her posture and the dark circles under her eyes.

"I could really use some quiet time." Ginny tells her friend. "Let's get some drink and sit here and talk for a bit. We haven't been able to talk a lot since, well, everything."

Hermione smiles at Ginny and nods. She realizes what Ginny is doing and is very grateful.

"Great! I'll go get us some drinks. I'll be back in a jiffy."

Hermione sits down at the table and sighs. The Halloween party is nice but also a bit much. She is still recovering after all. They are at the Burrow and everyone is there. It's the first somewhat happy situation since the war has ended. Of course, Molly Weasley can't help tearing up every hour or so but she has just lost two of her sons and several close friends. George, who was always the joker of the family with his twin brother Fred, is also having a very hard time. Everyone else is trying to make the best out of it. They know Bill and especially Fred would not have wanted them to sit around and sulk all day. Fred and George had always laughed about the idea of writing in their Will and Testament that a party should be held in their honour should they die. Bill, Fred, Lupin, Tonks, all of them fought in the war and gave their lives so that everything would get better. Their losses shouldn't be for nothing. Trying to honour their memories, everyone is doing their best to go back to normal as soon as possible and live the lives their friend have given their lives for. As normal as life can be after such a huge event that is. For weeks they have had nothing but funerals day in day out. Memorials are placed in many places in England and Scotland. Harry especially is being bothered daily to appear at some memorial service or give a speech at some post-war celebration party or to provide some exclusive details of the final battle. Ron and Hermione are also being approached regularly for similar events and exclusive interviews but not nearly as much as Harry.

"Hey Mione!"

Hermione looks up and sees Ron standing next to her. He takes a seat at the kitchen table as well. "What are you doing here, all alone? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Ron. A little tired that's all."

"Want me to take you back?"

Hermione waves her hands in front of her. "No, no, don't be silly. You guys threw a welcome back Halloween themed party for me. And it's great Ron, really."

He smiles.

"You know what" Hermione says suddenly, though she doesn't know what inspires her current thoughts.

"What?" he asks.

"Fancy playing a game of chess?"

Ron's eyes become large and he looks at Hermione. His first instinct is to check for a head injury. "Are you sure you are feeling alright? It's no problem for me to take you home."

"No, Ronald I've told you I'm fine. I don't know why but I feel the sudden urge to play chess."

"What happened to _it's barbaric_ and _that is such a waste of time_?"

"Never mind." Hermione starts to tell him but he shushes her and gets his chess board from the cupboard behind them and starts setting it up before she can change her mind again.

"Could you please explain the rules one more time?" Hermione asks Ron and he complies. The match starts and Ron gives Hermione instructions and honest advice on how to beat him. After about five minutes Hermione does something unexpected. Before Ron can tell her what to do, she sends her knight to take his queen.

"Merlin's beard!" Ron yells looking at the board. He has been so distracted telling Hermione what to do, he did not see the move coming. Hermione, is equally as shocked at her own move.

They continue the game but Ron doesn't give anymore advice. The pair is really enjoying the game. Ron, because he has always wanted to be able to play a relaxed game of chess, a game he has loved for many years, with the girl that he has loved for many years. Could this be any more perfect? Hermione on the other hand, doesn't understand where her sudden passion for chess is coming from. The game takes forever and Hermione is really giving Ron a run for his money. To his surprise, she is actually really good. At some point Ginny walks into the kitchen but smiles when she sees Hermione laughing with her brother over a game and leaves the pair alone again.

Harry is talking to Ginny in a secluded corner of the living room when he hears screams coming from the kitchen. Half the Weasley's come storming into the kitchen, wands at the ready.

"What is wrong?" Asks Mrs. Weasley looking around the room expecting intruders.

"She beat me!" He gasps.

"What?" Mrs. Weasley asks.

"She beat me. Hermione. She actually beat me at chess!"

Harry starts laughing. "I always knew you weren't great but being beat by Hermione!"

"Shut up, Harry. I always beat you!"

Ginny is grinning from ear to ear and even George can muster a little joke, taunting his little brother for losing to Hermione who has played chess maybe two times in her entire life.

Hermione isn't smiling though. She is staring to the chess board thinking hard. _'Where did this come from? This was actually, well, fun! And I beat him. How did I know those strategies? I am smart of course._ She tells herself. _And I have seen Harry and Ron play loads of times. Yes, that must be it. I just learned his tactics all those time I was studying and they were playing chess right next to me.'_

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. I'm sorry this chapter is so short. I have been a bit under the weather and therefore unable to finish the chapter in time. Reviews are always greatly appreciated.**


	16. The Fwooper

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Also, the Fwooper is a creature invented by J.K. Rowling. It is featured in Fantastic Beasts & Where to find them. The story Hermione tells Ron in this chapter about Fwoopers is also found in Fantastic Beasts & Where to find them and not mine. I simply liked it so much I wanted to feature it in this story.  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: The Fwooper**

"Please Miss, I must insist you put the books away."

"No!" Hermione shrieks and pulls the book that lies open on her lap closer to her as if her life depends on her keeping it close. Her hair is bushier than ever and she wears a frantic look on her face.

The nurse at the safe house doesn't know what to do anymore. Hermione might be the most stubborn patient she has ever cared for. "Please miss. You need your rest. You can continue tomorrow."

Of course, Hermione is doing really well. She is awake, no longer relying on tubes to keep her breathing and nourished, but she is still weak. Her muscles are weakened because of the lack of use for half a year. She also gets tired really quickly and is still under careful surveillance of Nurse Blake who has been taking care of her this entire time. For this reason, Hermione is currently living at the safe house Harry and the others have used during the war. Nurse Blake has everything she needs here to take care of Hermione. Also, Hermione can't go back to her parents because Hermione has spelled them before she went back to Hogwarts a year ago to forget she existed. Hermione was worried, after the incident at the ministry, that the war was coming soon and that she may not be able to return. Also, with the Death Eaters hunting Muggles and Muggleborn witches and wizards, she wanted to protect her family. She is the most notorious Muggleborn witch at Hogwarts after all, due to her close friendship with the boy who lived. She is of course very welcome at the Burrow but nurse Blake insists that Hermione stay and not live in a house with so many people as it would be too much for her at the present time.

"You don't understand. I need to study! I have missed months." Hermione argues. "Months!" she shrieks.

"I will be back in half an hour and don't let me find you up and working when I get back." The nurse warns but Hermione isn't listening. Hermione knows nurse Blake means well but sometimes she is just annoying her. She is doing fine, she believes, and can perfectly well decide for herself if she has the strength to study or not.

Arms full with dirty bed linen the nurse leaves the room and finds Harry and Ron in the hallway.

"Good!" She smiles at them. "I'm glad you guys are here. Maybe you can get through to her."

"What is going on?" Harry asks her.

"She won't stop studying. She has gotten it into her head that her career is doomed because she has missed some school."

Harry and Ron exchange a look of recognition.

"Honestly," Nurse Blake continues "she could just start over next school year and only be delayed one year. Her life isn't over, she is so dramatic. She should be celebrating that she is alive! The odds were against her for sure. Well, you guys must be able to get through to her as her friends. I count on you guys." She tells them and stalks off before the two boys can argue.

"Well I'm not doing it." Ron says immediately as if calling dibbs or shotgun.

Harry frowns but then he thinks of something. "You know..." he starts "it is really late."

Ron looks at him.

"Maybe we should visit Hermione tomorrow and let her rest."

"You heard Blake" Ron tells him. "She isn't resting."

Harry rolls his eyes. "Well I'm not going in there to argue with her, are you?"

Ron thinks about it for a second and fakes a yawn. "You know, I'm pretty beat. Let's go back to the burrow." Harry laughs and the two boys leave without speaking to Hermione. They know better than to argue with her about studying.

.

* * *

.

The next day however, the two boys try again. They are not surprised to find Hermione with her nose in a book even though it is early in the morning. She is in bed though, on the orders of Nurse Blake. Of course, this was not exactly what the woman had in mind when she ordered Hermione to stay in bed. Hermione believes it to be utter nonsense that she has to remain in bed, three weeks after waking up from her coma. She is feeling fine and has wasted enough time staying in bed, she argues again and again. The current situation, studying in bed, is the closest Hermione and her concerned nurse come to a compromise.

Hermione smiles when she sees Harry and Ron peer nervously around the door.

"Hi guys." She calls out to them and sticks a piece of parchment in her book before closing it.

"Hello Mione." Ron says and Harry waves.

"We wanted to see if you were up for a little outing."

"Please! I can't stay in this room any longer. That horrible woman won't let me out! She let me go for the Halloween party but said I looked too worn out when I returned and that I shouldn't do anything similar soon."

"Well what does she know?" Ron backs her up.

Harry shakes his head. "Don't forget she nursed you all those months and only wants what's best for you."

"If you say so. I think she secretly enjoys bugging me." Hermione whines.

Harry and Ron laugh but stop when they see the half annoyed look Hermione gives them.

"Where are we going?" She asks them to change the topic.

"We're going to see Luna and her dad. They invited us for afternoon tea." Harry informs her.

Ron, however, snorts. "Only Harry was invited but he is too scared to go alone now that her dad knows about the two of them dating, so he wants us to come along."

Hermione smiles. "Well, go tell Nurse Blake you need us then Harry, go on. She won't listen to me."

Harry jumps off the foot of the bed and leaves the room.

For a moment Ron and Hermione are quiet. Ron walks over at sits down on the foot of the bed in the space Harry has just vacated.

"So, what were you reading?" Ron asks.

"Standard book of spells grade 7."

"What? What are you reading that for?"

"For school, of course! Professor McGonnagal has agreed to let me finish the seventh year at Hogwarts in January if I can manage to get up to speed with all the courses and Nurse Blake announces me perfectly cured."

"Why would you want to go back? You can already have any job you want."

"Don't be silly Ronald, we can't skip our last year of school. We need to get our N.E.W.T's!"

"No we don't." Ron argues. "Harry and I have both been offered jobs at the ministry for our parts in the final battle against _you know who_."

"You aren't seriously going to take a job without finishing school first are you?" Hermione looks appalled at the idea.

"Of course I am! No more homework. No more exams. Why on earth would I go back?"

"To learn, of course!"

"What could we possibly learn that fighting _you know who_ hasn't taught us?"

"For goodness sake Ron just say his name, he is dead after all." Harry says as he walks back into the room ending the argument between Ron and Hermione.

"What did she say?" Hermione asks.

"Well, after insuring her that you would only be drinking tea with four other people and that you would get back in bed without argument" Harry looks at her sternly when saying this, making Hermione roll her eyes "she agreed."

"Great. Wait outside while I change."

The boys nod. Out in the hallway, Ron warns Harry not to bring up his vast offers of positions in many magical corporations including the Ministry of Magic.

.

* * *

.

"Mr. Lovegood?" Hermione asks. "Is this, is this a Fwooper?" she points at the bird in the cage next to her.

"Ah yes! Well spotted Miss Granger. It is indeed. Beautiful isn't she?"

"Well yes." Hermione says tentatively. "But you let her sing?"

"Well of course! Her songs are so lovely. You know, when we got her, she wouldn't sing for two months. But when she finally did we were delighted. We didn't know about Fwoopers or their songs. We bought her at a market because she was so pretty."

"She was probably silenced when you got her." Hermione tells Mr. Lovegood.

"Why would she have been silenced?" he asks her.

"Because, when listening to their songs for too long, they can drive you mad." Hermione explains and Mr. Lovegood roars with laughter. Hermione looks at him bewildered.

"Well, isn't that an interesting theory." He smiles. "Forgive me, I hear the kettle." And he stalks off towards the kitchen. Ron approaches her. Harry and Luna are talking together and he feels like a bit of a third wheel.

"What were you two laughing about?" Ron asks her jerking his head towards the kitchen where Mr. Lovegood is making tea.

"Do you know what kind of a bird this is?" Hermione asks Ron who looks at it.

"No should I?"

"Yes. Think about it. It's lime green, has extremely vivid plumage, and it can sing."

Ron tilts his head and squints as he looks closely at the bird. "Wait that does sound familiar."

"It should sound familiar. It's mentioned in Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them by Newt Scamander."

"Our school book?"

"Yes Ron, our schoolbook." Hermione rolls her eyes.

"So? What's so special about it?" Ron asks, ignoring Hermione's expression.

"It's a Fwooper." Hermione tells him expecting that to explain everything.

"Okay." Ron replies unimpressed. He looks around to see if Harry and Luna are still speaking to one another but Hermione hits him on his arm. "Oouch" he cries out. "What did you do that for?"

"You don't get it." Hermione tells him. "This is a Fwooper." She jerks her head towards the sleeping, lime green bird in a cage next to her with a tail of long lime green feathers. "It's an unsilenced Fwooper."

"So?"

"So... Fwoopers are sometimes kept as pets but they need to be silenced monthly as their songs can drive you mad."

That catches Ron's attention. "Really?" he asks.

"Really." Hermione says, eyes glittering. "Once this man tried to prove that their songs were not harmful at all but in fact beneficial." Hermione snickered at the punch line she hasn't yet mentioned. "But..." she continues. "The Wizard's Council did not believe him when he showed up to present his findings completely starkers with a badger on his head as a toupee."

The two of them double over laughing. After a full two minutes they calm down a bit.

"That explains why the Lovegoods are so... different." Ron says and the two of them start laughing again.

Then suddenly Hermione grasps her head, her face blank for a moment as she experiences something she has not experienced before.

Hermione finds herself in a room full of people. There is a half circle of people in Wizarding robes. It seems almost like she is in a Muggle theatre with each row of chairs being a little higher than the row before it. In front of the half circle stands a man. Hermione recognizes him immediately. She has followed classes with him at Hogwarts. However, they were never friends, not at all. Hermione feels very agitated. She feels worried for the man, which is strange given their history.

Hermione hears a voice from her right. It is a male voice but she doesn't recognize it and doesn't see the man because her eyes are fixed on the man in front of her.

"Mister Zabini, today on November the 6th, you have admitted to pretending to believe the ways of The Dark Lord were correct in fear of your own life. You claim that you have been involved in the torture and murder of the Amanda Rosefield under the Imperius curse. You claim you have harmed no other people in any way. The majority of the jury is not convinced that you did not act out of free will. You have therefore been found guilty of being a Death Eater. However, there are no further witnesses as of yet on your actions regarding the attack on Amanda Rosefield nor is there a witness to any other Death Eater activity. Therefore, you are hereby sentenced to two years in Azkaban prison." The calm expression on Blaise Zabini's face only falters for a split second when his verdict is given. The source of the voice is quiet for a moment. Maybe, Hermione wonders, he wants the message to sink in before he continues. The message is definitely sinking in for Hermione. Blaise Zabini is going to Azkaban and she feels surprised and empathic. She feels a pit in her stomach that can only be explained as feeling bad for Blaise Zabini for the outcome of what appears to be his trial before the Wizarding Council.

The voice continues. "However, this sentence can be reduced to a minimum of six months in Azkaban prison if you provide the council with information on fellow Death Eaters and come forward as a witness on their trials. Each name that leads to a successful conviction of a Death Eater will reduce your sentence by one month." Hermione is doing the math in her head as the voice continues. That means that if Blaise gives up 18 fellow Death Eaters, he will only go to Azkaban for 6 months. "Will you, Mr. Zabini, accept this deal and reduce your own sentence by providing the council with names of fellow Death Eaters?"

Blaise seems to contemplate the offer for a moment. Then he speaks. "I have only one name for you." He says and pauses.

"Get on with it then." The voice Hermione heard before says. She now realizes this must be the Wizarding equivalent of a judge.

"Draco Malfoy." Blaise says.

A blinding array of emotions hits Hermione: anger, betrayal, shock...

All of a sudden, Hermione finds herself back in the Lovegood residence.

"Hermione what's wrong?" Ron is asking her looking worried. His hand is on her shoulder.

Hermione still feels angry and hurt and slaps Ron's hand away. He looks confused but doesn't say anything, he simply looks at her.

Hermione realizes what she has done. "I'm so sorry" she gasps and looks at Ron for forgiveness. "I don't know what came over me."

"What happened just now?" Ron asks her again. "Your eyes went blank and you started to sweat. I was talking to you but it seemed like you weren't even there."

"Maybe I wasn't" Hermione says. "I think I was at the trial of Blaise Zabini."

"What?"

"Blaise, he was on trial before the Wizarding Council for Death Eater activities. I think I just witnessed it. I think I just witnessed it through someone else's eyes."

"Whose eyes?"

"Draco Malfoy's eyes" Hermione whispers.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it. Reviews are very much appreciated. Next chapter will be uploaded on Friday the 30** **th** **of October.**


	17. The dream

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination. Harry Potter, sadly, does not belong to me. I make no money writing this.

A/N. I have reached over a hundred story followers and even a lot of story favourites already even though the story isn't finished yet. It means so much to me. Thank you all so much for reading. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

* * *

 **Chapter 17: The dream**

Hermione sighs. "All you do is work. Can't you stop working for once and go do something?"

"I am doing something" Draco answers her without looking up. "Something useful even."

"I doubt it." She mutters rolling her eyes.

"I'm serious. What do you do for fun? All I see you do is work. I've seen you practice Quiddich once. I thought you would be playing Quiddich all day and buying fancy things and going to luncheons or something."

He snickers and turns around to face her. "You thought I went to luncheons?"

"Well, yeah. Isn't that what fancy rich people do?"

"Maybe." He laughs.

"So what does a rich Malfoy heir do for fun?"

"Whatever I want." He smirks but she snorts.

"Please. You do anything you want? Do you want to sit in a dark, mostly empty room all day at a desk staring at books and letters?"

Draco shrugs. "What do you think I should be doing then?"

Hermione takes a second to think about it. "You should be in Diagon Alley, buying your new school robes and school books and maybe a fancy new broom to taint Harry with at Hogwarts. Or maybe you should just go there and spend money on random things that look funny simply because you can. Or buy lots of candy!" She almost shrieks.

Meanwhile Draco is leaning back in his chair observing her with a slight smile on his face. She must've been really bored to be this excited to talk to him.

"You really do like spending money don't you, Granger? Well, let's go then."

"What?" she asks confused.

"To Diagon Alley." He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees which are spread apart like men usually sit.

"That's crazy."

"It was your idea Granger." He laughs and wiggles his eyebrows tauntingly before he disapparates. Hermione closes her eyes knowing she will follow almost immediately. Opening her eyes she can see Diagon Alley. She can see Ollivander's and Slug & Jiggers apothecary. There is no mistaking she is in Diagon Alley. Draco stops to look back at her. Hermione hadn't noticed he was walking away. She smiles, realizing he is waiting for her, maybe even so she wouldn't feel the pain of the distance. Quickly she follows him and he starts walking again. The first place he goes to is the last place she would expect him to be, Sugarplum's sweetshop. Well, come to think of it, his mother did always send him boxes of candy by Owl at school. Hermione actually never liked going there. Ron and Harry loved it of course. But Hermione, of course raised by dentists, really didn't like to eat too much candy.

Hermione watches as Draco walks around, pretty much looking like a kid in a candy store, scooping all different sorts of candy in a plastic container looking happier and happier with every scoop. Hermione giggles. The sight is so strange. She can't believe this is Draco Malfoy in front of her. The Draco Malfoy who is always composed and keeping up his snobby rich ' _better than_ _thou_ _'_ appearance. With enough candy Hermione would take a year to eat Draco makes his way towards the counter and pays for it. He comes back walking towards her grinning like an idiot.

Hermione shakes her head. "You are so silly." She tells him and he quirks up one eyebrow as if asking her for clarification.

"Coming here all of a sudden, buying this much candy."

Draco shrugs slightly and walks out the front door of the shop.

"Which is your favourite?" Hermione asks him.

Draco, already chewing on a chocolate frog, is going through the different sorts of candy until he reaches what he is looking for and he holds it up for her to see. A sour apple bite. Hermione snickers and again he looks at her as if demanding an explanation but Hermione shakes her head. She is not going to tell him that she was just thinking about a bunch of girls at Hogwarts she overheard talking about him once. The girls were younger than her, one or two years younger maybe. They were talking about him and how he apparently was always eating apples. Something Hermione hadn't noticed before then but started paying attention to after that day and noticed that it was true; he did eat a lot of apples, green ones mostly. Anyway, the girls were talking about how hot he looked, and that he even made it look sexy when he was biting into an apple. At the time, Hermione had to bite her cheek to keep herself from laughing which she did later when she repeated what she heard to Ginny. _'I guess he likes candy that tastes like apples too._ ' Hermione thinks to herself and snickers again.

By now, Draco has reached Madame Malkin's robes for all occasions. Hermione follows Draco inside. She walks around looking at the dress robes while Draco is talking to Madame Malkin out of earshot. The robes are magnificent. Hermione is looking at a particular section containing dresses for formal occasions. Although she would never admit it, she likes looking at the dresses and imagines herself wearing them at a ball at Hogwarts like the Yule ball they have had a few years ago. She is a girl after all.

Suddenly Draco is standing behind her, close enough that his breath on her neck alerts her to the fact. "I'm going into the next room to try on some new robes." He whispers.

Hermione nods and waits for him to leave. He doesn't.

"You should probably come with, it's pretty far."

Hermione isn't sure if he is being serious in his warning or simply making fun of her but she follows him nonetheless.

Without any warning Draco starts unbuttoning his shirt and taking it off. He is so fast it takes her completely off guard and leaves her frozen in place. She stares at the muscles on his back and arms as he continues to undress by taking off his shoes and socks. All of a sudden, Hermione's attention is drawn to a mirror. Through that mirror Hermione can see Draco's face. The smirk he wears tells her he could see her face as well. Hermione gasps and spins around on her heels immediately. She can feel the heat rising to her cheeks. Why does he keep catching her staring at him? She wonders.

* * *

Hermione wakes up and sits up straight in bed. What was that about? Her heart is racing. She must have hit her head or something because she almost feels like going to see Draco Malfoy, Hogwarts bully. Perhaps she is still a little confused because of her recent coma. She looks around at the familiar furniture. Her nightstand with a picture of her, Ron, and Harry on it, the bookcase in the corner, her lounge chair she always reads in, it's all there. She is home. Hermione rubs her eyes feeling a little disoriented still. She is back at her home with her parents. A few days ago she returned after Nurse Blake finally told her she was completely healthy again, something Hermione doubts right now. Hermione had to lift the memory charm she had placed on her parents earlier. Although she had to reintroduce herself maybe four times, they remember her now and are glad to have her back home safely, especially after she explained she had been in a coma for a little bit.

Hermione gets out of bed shaking her head. That was one weird dream. It felt so real, yet, it couldn't be. ' _Shake it off, Hermione'._ She tells herself. _'It was just a dream.'_ She puts a robe over her pyjamas and steps into some slippers. She yawns as she walks downstairs but smiles when she sees both of her parents at the breakfast table drinking coffee and reading the paper. They always divide the morning paper and after reading their half they switch. A cup of coffee is waiting for Hermione at her usual spot at the table with a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Morning mom, morning dad." She says as she takes her seat.

"Good morning sweetheart." They say in unison.

Hermione opens the Daily Prophet and starts reading.

 _~ Alleged Death Eater walks again. By Rita Skeeter._

 _Due to lack of evidence Theodore Nott, a bright young student at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, appeared before the council yesterday, November 8_ _th_ _. The boy was accused of Death Eater activities but due to lack of evidence was cleared of all charges and is free to go back to school. Mr. Nott is the 13_ _th_ _accused Death Eater this week to be cleared of charges due to lack of eyewitness accounts. Surprisingly, none of the accused has named any possible Death Eaters either, except for another Hogwarts student, Blaise Zabini. Mr. Zabini is the only person sentenced time in Azkaban for Death Eater crimes. The wizarding council must be immensely incompetent if only innocent people have been called forward besides a young and impressionable boy. Perhaps the council fears actual Death Eaters and is only rounding up innocent people and children to appear busy. ~_

Hermione stops reading. So many Death Eaters walk due to lack of evidence. They must be laughing their evil asses off. Hermione takes a sip from her coffee and places the cup back on the table so forcefully both her parents look over their paper to look at her. She takes a deep breath to calm herself a bit. There is nothing she can do about it anyway. Or is there? She does know a Death Eater and witnessed a crime. Heck, she was the victim. Surely that would help lend a Death Eater a ticket to Azkaban. Yes, Hermione makes up her mind. She is going to testify against a classmate of hers. A classmate that tortured her into a coma.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Reviews are much appreciated.**


	18. The trial

Disclaimer: I don't make money writing this. I don't own Harry Potter.

Please enjoy.

* * *

 **Chapter 18: The trial**

Hermione is fidgeting with her robes. Right now, Draco Malfoy's trial is going on in the next room. She can be called in as a witness any minute now. De doors are spelled soundproof. With no knowledge of what is happening Hermione is waiting. What will it be like to see him? What will it be like to confront him about what he has done? Does he even regret it? Will he deny it? Has he already charmed the court and will her testimony be pointless? Or have they condemned him even without hearing her speak? So many questions rush through her mind. Hermione really wants to bite her nails but instead keeps pulling her clothing straight to give her hands something to occupy them with. Why is it all taking so long?

Then the door opens. A small, hefty man in deep red robes is holding the door open for her. He gives her an encouraging smile. "You can come in now Miss. Granger."

Hermione nods. "Thank you." She takes a deep breath before she steps into the room with her head held high. She walks over to the seat appointed to her while avoiding eye-contact with Draco.

The room is quiet. There are a lot of people in there that Hermione assumes work at the ministry. Surprisingly, Hermione sees no family members or friends of Draco. Are they not allowed to come? Or did they not want to?

Hermione waits quietly while all eyes are on her. Hermione knows that to her left, slightly behind her, Draco must be standing, but she stares dead ahead to avoid him still.

"Miss Granger" the man in front of her speaks. He stands in the middle of the half circle in the front row. Although, he doesn't introduce himself, Hermione understands he must be the person leading this case. That means that he also holds the final decision on Draco's fate. "Please state your name and relation to the accused."

"I'm Hermione Jean Granger. I know Draco Malfoy from school. He was a classmate of mine."

"Were you two friends in school Miss Granger?" The man asks her.

"No sir."

"Why is that?"

"Well, he was a bully."

"I see." He writes something down before he continues.

"Would you say, Miss Granger, that you have always seen Mister Malfoy in a negative light?"

"I guess so." Hermione is confused. Where is this line of questioning going?

He continues. "If you have always disliked the accused, would you say that this may influence how you answer questions today?"

"If you are asking me if I might lie to get back at him for bullying me or something that is not true. I promise to tell the truth."

"Very well." He looks away from her to her left. "Mister Malfoy, how would you describe your relationship with Miss Granger?"

Hermione looks at her feet while waiting for his answer.

"She was a classmate of mine at Hogwarts sir."

"Did you indeed bully Miss Granger at school?"

"Sometimes, yes."

Hermione snorts. A few people in the room look at her but the main official does not seem to notice.

"Miss Granger." He looks at her again. "You are here today at the trial of Draco Malfoy, who stands accused of Death Eater activity. You have come forward voluntarily as a witness, is that correct."

"Yes sir."

"Good. Please tell us about the Death Eater activity you have witnessed from the accused."

Hermione clears her throat and shifts in her seat a bit. "Well, little over half a year ago, Draco Malfoy has performed the Cruciatus Curse on me. He kept going until I ended up in a coma."

"How long have you been in that coma, Miss Granger?"

"Almost half a year."

"But you remember the event clearly?"

"Yes sir."

"Do you believe it might be possible that your memories are altered while you were in a coma? Do you believe that perhaps your bias against the accused has led you to believe he committed such a crime?"

"I know he did this. I remember it clearly."

"Did you actually see him?"

"Yes. He was wearing a mask at first but I recognized his voice. When he realized I knew who he was, he took off the mask and continued to curse me."

The room is quiet for a minute or two. Hermione starts to get nervous again. Now what?

"Mister Malfoy, do you have anything to say to these accusations?"

Hermione doesn't see Draco but assumes he shakes his head when the official asks him to state his answer out loud.

"I don't." She hears him say.

"Miss Granger, do you have any knowledge of other Death Eater crimes committed by mister Malfoy?"

"Well, I know he helped other Death Eaters into Hogwarts which led to the death of Albus Dumbledore. He has also used the Imperius Curse on Madame Rosmerta who works in Hogsmeade for several months."

"Were you personally a witness to these crimes?"

"No sir."

"How do you know then?"

"He told Professor Dumbledore himself before he died. My friend, Harry Potter, heard it all."

"Thank you Miss Granger. Is there anything else you would like to say?"

"No sir."

"Very well. Could you please take a seat over there?" He points at a chair next to the door she entered through earlier.

Hermione still avoids Draco's gaze but knows he is staring at her, she can feel it.

"Mister Malfoy, you are accused by the Wizarding Council of being a Death Eater and performing associated crimes. You have not admitted to nor denied any such actions. Miss Granger today has provided some evidence you have performed an unforgivable curse on her. She also claims you performed another unforgivable curse on a third party and were involved in the Death Eater attack at Hogwarts which led to the Death of Albus Dumbledore. However, as she claims to have heard it from someone else but has not seen any of this herself, these accusations will not be taken into consideration for your sentencing. Usually, the council would retreat at this point to discuss the evidence and decide on a suiting punishment. However, considering there is a witness who accused you of being a Death Eater, as well as an eye-witness you have performed at least one unforgivable curse, your sentence is clear. The unforgivable curses are, as the name suggests, unforgivable. An example has to be made. Mister Malfoy, you are hereby sentenced to one month in Azkaban prison, after which you will receive the Dementor's kiss. My word is final."

Hermione gasps. Is that really what she wants? She wants him to be punished for what he did to her. She wants justice after so many known Death Eaters walk free for lack of evidence against them. But this, this is quite extreme. This is her fault. Without her testimony, her classmate, granted a bully but still, would not be death within a month. Is this really what she wants?

For the first time she looks at Draco Malfoy. He doesn't seem shocked. In fact, it seems like he has expected this outcome. Hermione doesn't know what to make of his expression. He looks scared and sad but surprisingly not angry. Does he not blame her?

Hermione turns around and flees the room without looking back.

* * *

"I'm glad you finally agreed to have brunch with me." Ginny tells Hermione as she sits down at a small table in the far corner of a Muggle restaurant. "Nobody has seen you for weeks."

"I know, I'm sorry. I needed time to think."

"About Malfoy?" Ginny asks her knowingly.

Hermione looks at her. How does Ginny always know everything? Sometimes is seems Ginny knows what she is feeling before she knows herself. Hermione nods.

"What happened at the trial? Did he get angry? Did he do something? Did he deny it?"

"No." Hermione says quietly. "He didn't seem angry at all. He seemed sad. If I didn't know better, I'd say he looked sorry."

Ginny stares at her and doesn't say anything.

"I need to know Gin. I need to know what happened when I was in a coma. Why was he there when I woke up? Why did none of you seem surprised about it until I brought it up?"

"Maybe we should order first?" Ginny says looking around for a waitress. Hermione places her hand on Ginny's and says firmly "No. Speak, now."

Ginny sighs and puts down the menu she was trying to hide behind before. "Okay. A while ago, in June, Harry received a letter. You were in a coma. We were all trapped in the safe house not allowed to leave, trying to come up with a plan to destroy Voldemort once and for all. Then the letter came. It was a letter from Malfoy asking Harry to meet him because he claimed to know how to help you. Everyone expected it to be a trap but we were desperate, so Harry and Ron met him at the Burrow."

"Go on." Hermione urges when Ginny pauses a moment.

"Malfoy claimed you were a ghost, haunting him."

"What?" Hermione exclaims.

"I know, crazy right. I sure didn't believe him but we took him to see you and he had to be a great actor if it wasn't true. He was talking to the air behind him, arguing with it even, and he seemed to be distressed when he claimed you, ghost you, was hurting. He really seemed to want to get rid of you and at some point, he even started to help us. He brought Peter Harrisson to us."

"Isn't that the old man professor Dumbledore used to know? Wasn't he the one that told you about the Horcruxes?"

Ginny confirms it with a nod. "Never once, did Malfoy ask for any information on our side, but he did provide us information. One day, he warned Harry that Voldemort knew the prophecy because you told him to tell Voldemort to save his life. There is no way he could've known it himself."

"If it's even true. Maybe Voldemort never knew the real prophecy and Malfoy made that story up to get you to trust him and believe him."

"Why though? If he wanted to spy for the dark side, he did a hell of a poor job. He didn't even stay when we talked to Mr. Harrisson."

"Well, that's odd." Hermione agrees. A waitress walks by and Ginny takes the opportunity to take a break. They both order sandwiches and tea. Ginny stares at Hermione quietly.

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Hermione asks after the girl left.

"I wanted to."

"But you didn't."

"I'm sorry Mione, it never seemed right. You were already so confused, having to adjust to so many things that had changed when you woke up, so many people that were gone. Telling you about Malfoy would have only confused you and we weren't sure if everything Malfoy said was true. We didn't know he tortured you."

Hermione nods. "I think he was telling the truth." Hermione says.

"Why would you say that?"

"Well, don't tell anyone what I am about to tell you yet. Not until I figure out what it means for myself first."

"I promise." Ginny tells her leaning forward in her chair, listening intently.

"I've been dreaming about Malfoy."

"What kind of dreams?" Ginny asks her smirking slyly.

"Not that kind." Hermione adds quickly.

"Well what then?"

"I don't know, just dreams."

"Well that's informative. I understand completely now." Ginny remarks sarcastically. "Speak woman. What have you been dreaming."

Hermione snickers. "Just stuff. Mostly me being at Malfoy manor talking to Draco or playing chess with him. In a few dreams I just watched him fly around on his broom with lights all around."

"Really?" Ginny leans back and folds her arm. "So you think you really were a ghost then?"

"It would make sense of all the weird dreams if they were actually memories."

"What was he like in your dreams?" Ginny asks Hermione.

"Different."

"Different how?"

"I don't know. Nicer. Enjoyable."

"Enjoyable?" Ginny frowns.

"What is taking this food so long?" Hermione asks looking around.

"Don't change the subject." Ginny replies sternly. Then, her tone turns more serious. "Hermione? Do you regret testifying?"

Hermione sighs. "Honestly, I don't know. I stand by what I said. He and all Death Eaters should pay for what they did. But I feel like I miss a part of the story."

"Then go get the rest of the story." Ginny says as if it is the most obvious solution in the world.

"Sure, let's go talk to Professor Trelawney and have her gaze into her crystal ball for answers." Hermione says sarcastically, shaking her head.

"No silly." Ginny laughs. "I mean go see Malfoy."

"Have you lost your mind?"

"I'm serious, Hermione. You can go see him in Azkaban and demand answers."

"Like he would give them to me. I'm the reason he's in there."

"So? You said he didn't look mad."

"Maybe he hides it well?"

"Shut up Hermione. What's the worst that can happen? He is locked up. He has no wand. He can't hurt you. Perhaps you won't get answers, but it's not going to get any worse than sitting here wondering what if."

"When did you get so wise Ginny?"

Ginny brushes her hair off her shoulder and sticks her nose in the air "I was always this smart." They both laugh.

"So are you going to meet him?" Ginny asks Hermione.

"I don't know. I don't know if I am ready to talk to him."

"Well not to sound pushy, but if you want answers you better get ready soon, because he won't be there much longer."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. Next chapter will be uploaded next Sunday on November the 15** **th** **. Reviews are much appreciated.**


	19. Azkaban

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. I only borrow the characters and world because I love it so much. I make no money writing this.**

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Azkaban**

Hermione knows what Azkaban can do to a person. She has read books about the prison and heard stories from Hagrid and Sirius. Seeing it in person is something else though. The boat trip to the island is scary in itself. Even as a visitor, it feels like you are on your way to meet your doom. The closer you get to the island, the emptier you feel inside. Perhaps the effect of the Dementors gets stronger the closer you get. There are so many after all. Chills run up her spine as she steps off the ferry and looks up at the monstrosity of a building in front of her. Azkaban prison is old and it looks old too. It kind of resembles a castle ruin, not even safe to walk in.

"This way people." An old man tells the group. Besides Hermione, there are three others, two wizards and one witch. Hermione has never seen any of them before. None said anything the entire way over. They follow the old man into the prison. He is walking very slowly and Hermione sees some resemblance to the hunchback of Notre Dame.

"Sign your name here please." The man tells Hermione as she reaches a counter. He hands her a clipboard and a pen. It seems very old fashioned and impractical to keep track of visitors this way. Perhaps there are so few it doesn't matter.

Hermione hands the clipboard back to the man. She realizes she doesn't know his name. She searcher for a name plate on his vest but sees none.

"Through this corridor Miss..." he looks down "Granger. Take a right at the end, then turn left, and you will find Mr. Malfoy at the very end there on your right hand side."

Hermione nods, thanks him, and starts following his directions. Hermione shivers as she passes the first cells. The very first cell on her left holds a man. Hermione tries to guess his age but struggles. He looks old, like in his seventies, but he might very well be forty she figures. Looking at the robes he wears, filthy old rags that Hermione can smell from where she is standing even though the man is sitting in the far corner of the cell. He must've been in there for a very long time. The effect of the dementors might've aged him. It is truly hard to tell. Hermione quickly keeps walking, trying to ignore the people in cells around her. Each containing a person looking closer to death then the next.

"Hey there pretty." Hermione hears a croaking voice next to her. She stares dead ahead and keeps walking but then she hears the voice again.

"Wait, where are you going love. Stay for some tea why don't you?" Hermione looks around at last and sees a woman sitting cross legged on the floor of her cell. Surprisingly, the woman doesn't seem to notice Hermione at all. Instead, she is talking to a big disgusting rat that is eating some left over crusts off the plate on the floor next to the woman.

"You like that don't you?" the woman continues. "I knew you would come back if I left you some supper."

Hermione doesn't know what is worse, the man in the first cell looking hollow and close to death, whimpering away in a corner of his cell, or this woman here, completely bonkers but seemingly happy to have some company, even if it is only a rat. This place is truly awful. Hermione shudders and picks up her pace once more.

Hermione turns right and then left again. Hermione is looking at an equally long corridor as the first. At the end of this one, she should find Draco Malfoy. The closer Hermione gets, the slower she starts to walk.

What was she thinking? Why come here? What difference does it make? What would he look like. He hasn't been here as long as some of the other people but the Dementors around constantly don't need much time to drive someone into complete and utter despair.

Hermione stops at the second to last cell and takes a deep breath. She is grateful none of the prisoners actually spoke to her as she passed. They didn't even seem to notice her. Taking another deep breath for courage Hermione takes the final steps that lead her to Draco's cell.

Hermione looks at him and the sight shocks her. Dark circles are visible under his eyes. His usually pale skin looks even paler. If it would be even paler it would be see through. There is a greyish tint to his skin as well. Draco is sitting with his back against the wall on the floor, his legs stretched out in front of him and his hands on his lap with his eyes closed.

"Hello" Hermione says quietly.

Draco opens his eyes and looks at her. He looks confused when he sees her but doesn't say anything. He simply stares at her.

"Euhm. How are you?" She asks, feeling lame instantly.

"Just peachy." He replies sarcastically.

"Okay then." Hermione bites her lip. She is unsure what to say next.

"Come to gloat have you?" Draco asks her bitterly.

"What? Of course not."

"What brings you here then? Making sure they put me away? Making sure I'm suffering behind bars."

"It doesn't bring me any joy to see you like this, Malfoy." She tells him. This isn't going as she planned. What did you expect? She asks herself. Maybe this was a stupid idea.

"Well it's your fault I'm in here." He snaps.

That wakes her up and instead of insecure, she is starting to feel angry. "It is not my fault you are here, Malfoy. You are here because of your own choices. You tortured me close to death. You used unforgivable curses on multiple people. You deserve to be here."

"Fine. Whatever." Draco says. "Why are you here then?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Obviously. What about?"

"I… I've been having dreams." She tells him a little hesitantly. She is starting to doubt coming here was a good idea.

"Congratulations Granger, that must mean your brain still works."

"I know that" she snaps. "That is not the point."

"Then by all means get to the point. I don't have forever you know. I'm supposed to die tomorrow and you are the last person I want to spend my last night with!" His conscience is yelling at him that he's a liar as the words come out of his mouth. It's telling him to tell her everything, what has he got to lose? But he doesn't. He just stays quiet and pretends to be bored and annoyed. He truly is a good actor.

"I'm sorry" she tells him. "I shouldn't have come."

He frowns. Why is she apologizing? "You might as well tell me why you find it so important to tell me you dream. You did come all this way."

"That's true yes. Well the point is…" She hesitates a moment. After quickly glancing around a few times she continues without looking at him. "I've been dreaming about you." She then states.

When she is clearly not going to say anything more Draco decides to encourage her, eager to know what exactly she dreamt about him. He stands up and walks over to the bars of his cell and grabs hold of them with each hand. He tilts his head sideways and looks at her through the bars. "Go on."

"I didn't dream about you attacking me, although I remember it clearly, I dreamt of what came after."

"You dreamt about being in a coma? How thrilling. I knew you were boring but you always seem to be able to set the bar even lower." His conscience is now telling him he is a fool and it would be best to shut up now, but he ignores his inner self as always.

"Do you want to hear this or not?" she asks rather impatient, looking him straight in the eye for once, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Do tell. My life would not be complete otherwise." He replies sarcastically but secretly he wonders if she actually remembers their time together.

"Fine, I've got a question for you Malfoy."

"Which is?"

"What happened when I was in a coma?"

"How should I know?"

She needs a different strategy if she wants to know if her dreams were true without making a fool of herself when it turns out they were just that, dreams.

"Ginny had some interesting stories to tell."

Draco doesn't say anything so she continues.

"She told me you contacted Harry and claimed my ghost was haunting you. She says you helped research ways to help me get out of my coma."

She pauses. Draco stares at her intently but still doesn't say a word.

"She says you are either a great actor, or you may have developed feelings for my ghost self."

"Interesting theory."

"That's it?" Hermione asks getting impatient. "Interesting theory? What happened Malfoy. Did you see my ghost? Did we talk? Did we become friends?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does to me! All I know is you have bullied me since you met me and tortured me into a coma. Those are memories, real memories. And now suddenly I have all these weird dreams and Ginny telling me they might be memories as well and I don't know what's real anymore."

Quietly, with an expression Hermione doesn't quite understand, he speaks. "I hurt you many times, emotionally and physically. That is real." Part of him want to kick himself really hard, the other half is trying to protect his already broken heart.

"Are you even sorry for what you did to me?" she holds her breath waiting for him to answer.

"Would you believe me if I said I did?"

"Maybe not." She contemplates earnestly. "You could be trying to trick me, or play with my emotions just to hurt me more."

Draco snorts. "Why are you here Granger? Why ask me all these questions if you don't believe a word I say anyway?"

"Aargh, I don't know."

"You don't know much do you?" he taunts.

"I know that you..." she pokes him in the chest with her index finger through the bars. He looks down at her finger and smirks. Secretly, he enjoys getting this kind of reaction out of her, any kind of reaction actually. He knows how to push her buttons. Curse him, he has gotten to know Hermione Granger. "You.." she continues "are mean."

He laughs. "Is that the best you could come up with?"

"You are mean, Malfoy. And a ferret."

"Very original." He laughs. He actually has the audacity to laugh at her. Hermione has had enough. This is pointless.

"Arse." The mutters and spins on her heels to walk away but she can't. Through the bars Draco grabbed her wrist and suddenly Hermione's feet are glued to the ground. Images come rushing into her head all at once: Draco on his broom flying over twinkling lights, Draco playing chess, Draco sitting at the dinner table with a wailing house-elf, Draco smirking at her through the mirror after catching her staring at him in his bathroom, Draco being tortured by Voldemort, Draco, Draco, Draco. Hermione gapes at him when the images stop. His hand is still on her wrist.

"Did you see that?" she asks him.

"See what?" he looks genuinely confused and she believes him.

"We played chess and you lost a bet." She tells him matter-of-factly.

"And I had to eat dinner with my house-elf for it." He finishes for her.

She gasps.

"It's true then. It's all true."

Is this really happening? He wonders. Does she actually remember?

"They are going to kill you tomorrow. I can't let that happen." She says all of a sudden.

"Well that's rich, considering your testimony led to that verdict."

"Shut up Malfoy and stand back. I'm getting you out of here."

With a dazed expression he does stand back.

"Alohomora" Hermione says pointing her wand at the door of Draco's cell. Nothing happens.

"Did you really think that would work?" Draco asks sarcastically.

"I told you to shut up Malfoy." Hermione looks left and right and then tries another charm. "Bombarda!" with a loud bang that echoes through the halls Hermione blasts the door from its hinges. Draco is thrown against the wall from the blast and gasps for air.

"That did the trick." He says in between gasps.

"It sure did. But that noise couldn't have gone unnoticed. We need to go, now!"

"Go where?" He asks her. "We should disapparate."

"We can't disapparate from Azkaban you idiot." Hermione snaps. "Security is lacks because of the Dementors but that would just be stupid."

"Well what is your plan then?"

"I don't have one yet."

"What!" he yells a bit too loud. He looks around frantically but sees no guards yet. He adds more quietly "Are you insane?"

"I am rescuing the man that tortured me with the risk of my own death, perhaps I am. This way!" she tells him running back the way she came.

"At least you consider me a man." Draco mutters causing Hermione to look back over her shoulder raising one eyebrow at him.

"Really, Malfoy? That is your response?"

He shrugs and they keep running. None of the prisoners look up at them. It's sad how far gone they all are to even notice what is happening around them.

Suddenly Hermione stops running causing Draco to nearly bump into her. "I hear something." She whispers. He listens too. Footsteps are coming their way.

Hermione grabs the front of Draco's t-shirt and pushes him hard against the bars of the cell next to them. Draco grunts but Hermione shushes him. She flicks her wand and stands next to him with her back against the bars as well, standing as still as possible. Draco is looking around. The footsteps are coming closer.

"What are you doing?" He whispers. She shushes him again.

Is she suicidal? He wonders. From around the corner two men come rushing towards them and to Draco's surprise run straight past them. Hermione exhales.

"Let's go." She whispers and starts running again as quietly as she can manage.

"What just happened?"

"I used a disillusionment charm to make us blend in with the background. Doesn't work on Dementors though, I think."

"Are you saying that if there were Dementors with those guards we would've been killed?"

"I believe so yes."

He shakes his head "I'm glad I didn't know that."

They have reached the end of the hall. If they go through the door in front of them they will end up at the front desk again. Hermione stands on her toes to try to peer through the matt glass. However, she is too small. She slaps Draco in the stomach catching him completely off guard. "See if there are any guards." She orders.

"Couldn't you just ask nicely?" he complains rubbing his stomach.

"I shouldn't have to ask, Malfoy. It's your arse I'm trying to safe here you could help out a bit."

"You're also trying to save your own hide at this point Granger."

"Stop arguing and look through the darned window!" Hermione barks, red in the face. Draco laughs but finally does as he is told.

"You're cute when you're angry." He snickers.

"What?" she asks, not sure if she heard him correctly.

"Never mind. I see no guards."

"Let's go then." She says pushing Draco through the door first.

Draco stumbles through the door. He sees the door leading outside and makes his way over to it. He peers through the gap and when he sees nobody on the other side, and more importantly, no Dementors, he steps outside and takes his first breath of fresh air in a month. Air he didn't think he would ever breathe again.

"What time is it?" Hermione demands. This snaps Draco out of his small moment of bliss.

"How should I know?"

Hermione sighs and start rumbling though her purse until she finds a watch.

"In fifteen minutes, that boat over there" she points at the ferry that brought her to the island "is scheduled to leave. We should get on it and hide."

"That is a stupid plan Granger. They will search the boat before they let it go when a prisoner is on the loose. We should steal it."

"I'm not stealing a boat!" Hermione gasps.

"Why? After helping a criminal escape, stealing a boat is not going to harm your precious reputation any further."

"Fine." She grunts and the two of them head towards the ferry.

Just when they reach the ferry and Hermione thinks that all the luck of the world is on her side, she feels the air around her get cold and any feeling of luck is drained from her system.

"Crap." Draco says, and a frosty gush of smoke escapes his lips. Hermione gulps. This is not good.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. I will upload as soon as I can. Reviews are always appreciated.**


	20. The waves and the woods

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, I make no money writing this.**

 **A/N:** Sorry it took so long. I have been very ill. Please enjoy the chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 20: The waves and the woods**

Hermione and Draco are trying to flee from Azkaban prison. They almost reach the ferry they plan to steal and escape on, when the feel Dementors approaching.

They turn around and see two Dementors coming their way. Hermione draws her wand and yells "Expecto Patronum" but her patronus isn't strong enough. She looks over and Draco and sees him hiding himself behind a large rock.

"You coward." She grunts.

"What do you want me to do? I don't even have a wand!"

"Well that rock won't save you either so you could at least stand beside me like a man while I try to save your stupid arse."

"My my granger your language really took a turn for the worst when you decided to commit a felony."

The Dementors are nearing.

"Expecto Patronum." She tries again. A white smoke more dense than the last time appears, but still no full patronus. She starts to panick.

Draco places his hand on her shoulder and she can feel his breath on her neck.

"You can do this. Just take a deep breath." He whispers. Hermione closes her eyes and does as she is told. Then she hears him whisper again. "You are the smartest witch of your age. Show me why everyone keeps saying that."

Hermione takes a final deep breath. "Expecto Patronum." Third time's the charm and a full patronus shoots out the end of her wand and starts attacking the Dementors.

"Quick, get on this ferry." Draco pulls her back and half drags her onto the ferry.

With a few quick spells Hermione has the ferry untied from the dock.

"Do you know how to start this thing?" she asks Draco.

"Of course not. Where would I have ever learned to operate a ferry?"

"I don't know, secret hobby?" she looks around frantically. _What am I supposed to do? Stupid boat, what was I thinking? We are never getting out of here alive._

Hermione points at the boat with her wand. "Navigante." Nothing happens.

"What spell is that?" Draco asks her.

"Apparently a non-existent one."

Draco looks at her questioningly.

"It's latin for sailing, I was just trying something."

"Give me your wand." Draco tells Hermione who quickly holds it against her chest with crossed arms.

"Are you out of your mind? I am not giving you my wand."

"Hermione, you don't know how to get away from here."

"Don't Hermione me! You don't have a plan either."

"Look behind you." He says.

Hermione reluctantly turns around and sees that her patronus is struggling to keep up with the Dementors. Not surprising really, considering there might be about 40 Dementors heading their way now.

"Oh crabcakes." Hermione mutters.

"Give me your wand." Draco repeats.

"What are you going to do?"

"Get us out of here." He smiles at her.

 _What is he doing smiling at me like that in a situation like this? Why is he so calm?_

Slowly she holds out her wand and he strokes her hand taking it from her making her flush and forget their surroundings for a moment. Draco walks past her to the back of the Ferry.

"Get to the rudder, quickly."

Hermione nods and starts to run. Behind her she hears Draco repeat a spell that sounds something like unda magnimus but she isn't sure. All of a sudden, the boat rocks and Hermione bends her knees and spreads her arms besides her not to fall over. When she regains her balance she quickly runs inside the only cabin which must be where the captain usually stays and she finds a wheel not nearly as big as she imagined. She was thinking of pirate ships and a big old wooden wheel but even in the magical world the boats are much more modern. Through the window Hermione can see that the Ferry is moving. She looks back and gasps. Draco is standing at the back of the deck with his arms in the air. Behind him, she can see big waves, huge waves even. The waves are so high; she can hardly see the island behind them. Hermione grabs the tiny rudder and directs the ferry to the main land. However, she has no intention of actually going there. They need to get off this ferry as soon as possible. By now, word will be out that there is an Azkaban prisoner on the run with a bushy haired accomplice named Hermione Granger. Hermione hears the door open and close behind her.

"That looked incredible." Hermione tells him honestly.

He smiles at her. "Thank you."

"So, your secret hobby is to create waves then?"

He snickers. "Something like that. When I was younger, the boys and I would play games with the elements. Create the largest flame, make the wind go the fastest..."

"With whom did you play?"

"Oh you know, Blaise and Theo mostly. Sometimes Greg and Vince but they were too easy to beat; there was no fun in that."

Carefully Hermione notes "I noticed none of your friends were at your trial, or any of your family."

Draco looks down. "Yeah." He says.

"Why?" she asks.

"Here's your wand back." He hands her back her wand.

"Thank you."

"Do you think we are far enough from Azkaban to disapparate? I'd like to get out of here." He adds.

"Let's try." She says and holds out her hand. He takes it, and a moment later, they are gone.

* * *

"Evening boys." Mr. Weasley says to Harry and Ron as he enters the kitchen late at night. The two of them are playing chess as they usually do in the evenings when Mrs. Weasley has no further tasks for them.

"Hi, dad. Why are you home so late? Another rubber duck incident?" Ron asks.

"Actually, I was called in regarding Hermione."

"What? Why?" Both Harry and Ron reply in unison.

"Well, the ministry is under the impression that she helped a prisoner escape from Azkaban this afternoon. You boys know anything about that?"

"That is insane." Ron bursts out.

"We haven't seen Hermione for a while." Harry adds.

"Ginny!" Ron yells. "Gin get down here." They hear footsteps on the stairs.

"What Ron? You can't just shout and expect me to come running. What do you want?"

"Ginny..." Mr. Weasley starts. "Have you seen Hermione today?"

"Not today no. Why? What happened?"

"She is being accused of helping a prisoner escape from Azkaban." Her father tells her.

"Merlins beard! She rescued him?"

"Rescued who?" Harry asks.

"Malfoy." Ginny tells them.

"The ferret?" Ron yells.

"Right? Ginny asks her father. "It's Draco Malfoy she helped escape?"

"That is what they are saying in the office yes. What do you know Ginerva? Don't you keep anything from me! How did you know she saved Mr. Malfoy?"

Ginny waves her hands in front of her. "I didn't know I swear. I only knew she went over there to talk to him. You said she helped someone escape so I assumed it must be him."

"Why would she go there to talk to him?" Harry asks Ginny.

"Why would she help him escape?" Ron demands.

"I... I think she might have feelings for him?" Ginny stutters a bit, knowing that statement will not go over well with her brother.

Ron jumps up from his chair knocking over several chess pieces making them start to fight amongst themselves.

"What do you mean she might have feelings for him? He tortured her!"

"I know. But that isn't the whole story. She was starting to remember things from her time as a ghost. Things that happened between them."

"Things like what? She was a ghost and he was, is, a git. Nothing could've happened. You guys have it all wrong. He must've manipulated her and taken her wand or something. He may have her kidnapped. We need to find Hermione! She has been kidnapped!"

"Ron calm down." Harry tries to place his hand on Ron's arm who slaps it away.

"Don't tell me to calm down. Hermione is in danger, again. And the ferret has her, again! We need to do something. Dad you need to tell them at the ministry that it is not her fault."

"They are considering every option son, including a scenario where she is kidnapped. Every auror is out looking for the two of them and they will be taken in for questioning. Now, you guys need to start making a list of every place Hermione is likely to go if she wants to disappear, and any place you might be able to think of young Mr. Malfoy would go."

The three of them nod.

"Now I need to speak to Molly."

"I think she is out back. Last I saw she was headed out to the shack." Ron tells his father.

* * *

"I recognize these woods." Draco says looking around.

Hermione nods. "You have been here before."

He looks at her. "Is this where they held the Quiddich world cup a few years back?"

Hermione nods again and starts muttering protective enchantments.

"We need to find a place to hide out tonight. Come up with a plan." Draco tells her.

"I know." She sighs. "I don't know what I was thinking. Breaking you out of Azkaban? What was I thinking? Now we will both be caught and killed." Hermione is talking more to herself than to him but he hears her.

"I could turn myself in. Tell them I kidnapped you and left you here. Let you off the hook."

"What?!" she spins around so fast he has to catch her as her foot gets stuck in a root.

"Is that what you want?" he asks her softly.

She looks up at him. His silver eyes are sparkling in anticipation, in fear.

She grabs his hands. "I don't want you to die." She tells him and he releases a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and smiles. "I don't know what I want. And I don't know how to get us out of this mess. But I don't want you to die. Now, let's find a place to sleep tonight and some food and we will discuss a game plan."

"Well isn't this a charming scene." A low male voice behind them says, making them both jump. The man is behind Draco and Hermione can't see him because Draco is taller, and obviously Draco can't see him without looking around. They look at each other.

"Run!" they say at the same time and start running for their lives.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it. Reviews are always appreciated. Next chapter will be uploaded Sunday the 13** **th** **.**


	21. The cave

**Disclaimer: as you all know, I am not J.K. Rowling and thus own nothing. I make no money with this story.**

* * *

 **Chapter 21: The cave**

Her blood is rushing. She can feel it pounding in her head as she is running for her life, literally. She is running with Draco from Aurors through the woods. She is jumping over fallen tree trunks and ducking under loose hanging branches. She cuts herself a few times but she doesn't notice it. Adrenaline is pumping though her veins. They don't see the Aurors behind them at this point but they know they must be close. Hermione is slowing down. Not because she wants to but because her muscles are cramping up. Draco, who was running in front of her, turned around and hissed. "Keep going. We can't stop, they'll find us!" He grabs her by the hand and pulls her forward until she is back at her original pace.

"I can't... take this... much longer." She pants.

"I have an idea." He tells her while running. "But it's risky."

"What?" she asks.

Suddenly Draco jumps up a low hanging branch of a tree and pulls himself up as if it is nothing. Hermione gapes at him. She can't help but admire his strength.

"I can't do that!" she hisses at the bottom of the tree looking up at him. He holds out his hand for her and pulls her up.

"We have to go higher." He tells her. They are now both standing on the lowest branch which luckily, is strong enough to hold them both.

They climb as high as they can. He has to help her a couple of times.

"Are we high enough?" She asks him, afraid that if they go much further, the branches will become too thin to hold them.

He pulls her to him and covers her mouth with his hand. He is sitting with his back against the trunk of the tree, one leg on each side of the branch he is sitting on, and holding her close to him with her back against his chest. She wants to protest but then she hears it. The cracking of fallen branches on the ground. Someone is, or a few people maybe, are walking right below them.

Hermione holds her breath and they both stay as still as they can. Hermione closes her eyes to keep herself calm. She is too scared to look down. Every other sense is on high alert. She hears footsteps below her and the ruffling of bushes and cracking of branches the people below them step on. Her mouth is dry and her heart is pounding. She feels Draco's breath on her neck and his heartbeat thumping fast against her back. She realizes he must be stock full of adrenaline as well. And finally, she smells a mixture of her own perfume and both of their sweaty bodies.

After a while Hermione needs to get some air but she is still afraid the people below her might hear her. As slowly and quietly as she can muster she lets out the breath she was holding and takes a new deep breath. She hears nothing different and decides she can keep breathing as long as she is careful. Draco's hand is no longer covering her mouth and both arms are around her stomach protectively. Her arms are gripping tightly around his thighs to keep steady on the branch.

"Do you see them?" they here a voice below them. Hermione doesn't recognize it.

"No, maybe they disapparated." Another voice answers. Hermione's eyes become wide as she realizes who it is.

As quetly as she can she whispers "that's mister Weasley! We should turn ourselves in. He will help us."

"I don't think so." Another voice below them says. "I didn't hear the sound of anyone disapparating. We were not that far behind we should have heard it."

"Are you insane?" Draco asks her in a hushed voice. "You may trust Arthur Weasley but those other two are Gawain Robards and John Dawlish if I'm not mistaken. You will not even get the chance to speak to Arthur Weasley when those two see us."

Hermione wants to argue but Draco clamps his hand over her mouth again as he hears a crack right below them. Hermione has to fight back the urge to elbow him in the stomach for she doesn't know how he will react and the people below might hear them. She doesn't like it that he keeps his hand over her mouth though.

The two of them stay in the tree long after they can't hear anything anymore. Neither of them says anything but after a while their bodies relax and Hermione slumps into his embrace. She doesn't know how long it has been but the sun is starting to set.

She clears her throat slightly. "I think it is safe for us to go now."

"Where can we go?" He asks her.

"I don't know. Let's see if we can find shelter somewhere close."

"Isn't it easier to apparate somewhere?"

"No." She tells him. "They have already searched here. They won't come back tonight so it would be best to stay here. Besides, every place we know, they know about too."

He nods but apparates them to the ground with a soft pop.

"Thanks" She smiles at him. "I wasn't sure how we were going to get out of that tree without falling."

He snickers.

Suddenly, she feels a drop of water right on the tip of her nose. She looks up, and another drop falls on her forehead. She smiles a toothy smile.

"Why are you happy it's starting to rain? We'll get soaked." Draco complains.

"It will cover our tracks. Come on, let's go."

They walk for what feels like an hour. By now it is completely dark outside and the two of them are drenched and cold. Luckily, they find a cave they feel they could hide out in for the night.

They enter the cave and Hermione conjures up a magical fire. When she turns around Draco is standing awfully close to her, but he doesn't say anything.

Hermione stares into Draco's silvery grey eyes. Those eyes have scared her before but now, they are anything but scary. Those eyes portray his true feelings at the moment. Happiness, dare she say lust, and even a little fear. Perhaps fear of getting caught, or fear of what is about to happen between them, she doesn't know.

Hermione clears her throat awkwardly and turns away from him. They sit down on the ground near the fire with their legs crossed opposite each other with the fire in the middle.  
The magical fire is warming them up a bit. A drop of water runs from Hermione's forehead and falls into her eye making her blink several times. They are both soaking wet from the rain outside but haven't taken the time to dry themselves off yet. They are staring into each other eyes, sitting close but not touching. They both want to but are afraid.

"So..." Draco begins.

"So..." Hermione repeats. She smiles and looks at the floor briefly before looking back up at him through her eyelashes.

Draco smiles at her. "Here we are."

"Yes. Here we are indeed."

"Are you going to repeat everything I say?" Draco snickers. He doesn't sound annoyed because he isn't.

Hermione smiles too and moves her head up to look at him again normally.

"We should get out of these clothes." Draco suggests but doesn't move.

"That would be the practical thing to do" Hermione nods but remains where she is.

Slowly Draco gets up and holds his hand out in front of her. She looks at his hand for a moment and then takes it, standing up. They are standing very close but they don't move. Hermione can feel Draco's breath on her forehead. She stares straight ahead and thereby onto his chest. His shirt is soaked and she can see his skin through it where the fabric sticks to his bare chest. She places her hand on his chest over his heart. Draco holds his breath. Neither says anything as they remain in this position for several heartbeats. Heartbeats that she counts. His heart is racing. _Is he nervous? Or simply cold?_ She wonders. She looks up at him and smiles. He exhales finally and smiles back.

Hermione doesn't know what to feel. Everything is so confusing. What is she doing? How did she end up in a cave with Draco Malfoy? How did she suddenly end up as a criminal? What will happen when the aurors find them? They can't hide forever. And an even more pressing issue, what is happening between them?

Does she really have feelings for him? She never took the time to truly assess her feelings. Everything happened so fast. She looks into his eyes. Neither speaks. She has to admit to herself that he is handsome. She would have to be blind not to notice. He had many opportunities to show her how muscular he was while she was a ghost. It's weird how all of these things happened months ago but she only remembered them a few hours ago. When is she supposed to process these things?

He is staring right back at her. Does he feel the same? She wonders. Does he have feelings for her? Could he truly have changed so much? Oh no, does he expect something will happen between them? They are in a cave, fire burning, this could easily be the plot of some romantic comedy. Well, a romantic drama maybe. What if he doesn't feel the same? What if he kills her and leaves her there. He is free, she helped him escape, and nobody would be the wiser.

Hermione is really starting to panic now. She is so confused by everything she is feeling, everything she now remembers but hasn't had the time to process yet, she doesn't quite know which scenario would be worse. No, getting killed would definitely be worse, she decides. Although, if he does expect something, if he does expect her to have sex with him, that would definitely be bad. That cannot happen. That is way too soon. She needs time to gather her thoughts. Panic is really kicking in now.

"Practical?" He repeats with a playful smirk.

That breaks Hermione's frantic thoughts and brings her back to the present. Hermione looks at him again. She looks at his face, calm and waiting for her to do something. His hair lies flat on his head and a few wet locks of hair are pressed against his forehead. How come he still looks handsome? Hermione lowers her gaze to his chest, where her hand is still pressed against his heart. She looks at the muscles she can see through the wet fabric. Hermione pushes aside every thought she had before. She doesn't know what will happen in the future. Maybe she will be sent to Azkaban for what she did today. In this moment, she is with a very handsome guy whom she may or may not have feelings for. And she may or may not get to be with him another day. And very un-Hermione like, she appreciates the uncertainty of the future. And she'll be damned if she will let this moment go to waste. There is no time to think about what she does or doesn't feel. There is no time to think about the consequences of her actions. There is only time to act, to live right now and enjoy the company.

Without breaking eye-contact Hermione moves her hands towards the top button of his shirt. Slowly she starts unbuttoning every single one of the buttons. They stare at each other intently. Draco doesn't move, his arms hanging limp next to his body, afraid that any movement might break the spell. After she has unbuttoned every button of his shirt she moves her hands under the shirt and places her hands on his bare chest. Slowly she removes the shirt from his shoulders, which falls to the floor behind him. Neither picks up the piece of wet fabric lying in a heap on the floor. Neither of them speaks. They only stare. Hermione takes the hem of her own shirt and starts to pull it over her head. They are standing so close that Draco has to lean back slightly not to get hit in the face by her elbow. Yet, he refuses to take a step back. Hermione smiles up at him. They are both standing with their arms hanging besides their bodies now. Draco wearing his pants and shoes, and Hermione wearing her pants, shoes, and bra. Draco kicks off his shoes without breaking eye-contact and Hermione copies him.

Draco places his right hand on her left shoulder and traces his fingers over her bare skin along her arm making Hermione's skin flutter. When he reaches her hand the both raise it and place their hands flat against one another at the palms. They entangle their fingers and both stare at the entwined hands. Hermione's right hand moves to touch his chest again as she feels his still racing heartbeat once more. Then with her right hand she unbuttons her jeans and Draco unbuttons his with his left hand. They remove their pants and stare into each other's eyes again. The jeans, t-shirt, and soon the socks are all thrown together on a pile on the floor. The sensible thing would be to hang them out to dry, but neither thinks about it or cares about it at the moment.

They are now standing in front of each other in nothing but their underwear but neither has looked at the other's body yet, except for their hands. Draco is the first to break the eye-contact. Letting his eyes roam across her face, towards her shoulders, down to her lovely breasts held up by a lacey white bra, over her flat stomach to her hips, all the way down her long legs. She is slim but not too skinny, Draco decides. She has curves. Nicely shaped breasts, nice hips, and he bets she has a nice bum too based on the way the brown dress she wore the entire time she haunted him as a ghost hung around her bottom. Hermione studies Draco's face as his eyes roam her body. She smiles when she sees him smile and the lust increases in his eyes. He wants her and the thought turned her on a little.

She is a virgin and has never had a boy look at her with so much want. She had been out with Viktor Krum who had clearly been smitten with her at the time, but nothing could compete with the primal lust Draco is showing as he watches her. Draco looks back into her eyes and smiles. He knows she was watching him check her out but he isn't embarrassed. Hermione blushes.

It is her turn to look at him now. She has of course seen a lot of it before, but not in the light of a campfire with his body still wet from the rain. The light dances on his skin making the muscles stand out more than usual, as a shadow is cast over all the edges. She looks down at his black boxers and realizes the full extent of his desire for her. She is taken aback a bit. She is definitely aroused too but she is also a little scared of where this is going. She quickly looks away and Draco smirks. He places his hands on her shoulders and kisses her forehead. Hermione feels like hugging him and decides to just do it. She wraps her arms around his torso and places her cheek against his chest. He puts his arms around her and leans his cheek on the top of her head. They both enjoy the comfort of the hug.

They stand like that for quite long. At some point, Hermione's arms start to wander and move over his back. First she feels his shoulders, tracing the muscles with her fingers. Then she moves down his back and slider her hands under his boxers to cup his bum boldly. They hadn't even kissed yet. Draco snickers but doesn't remove her hands. He sees it as a sign he can also start to feel her up. He lets one hand cup the back of her head and comb through the wild curls. The other hand starts to slide down her back towards the strap of her bra. He wants to unhook it. Hermione doesn't doubt that he can with one hand. She had heard the stories about him at Hogwarts.

"Don't" she whispers as she removes her hands from his ass and places them on his chest again distancing herself from him. She isn't ready.

Draco looks at her confused.

"Not yet." She whispers and looks at him. He nods, bends down and extracts his wand from his jeans pocket. He conjures them a mattress, pillows, and warm fluffy blanket.

Hermione takes a step back when she sees what he has produced. "What are you doing?" she asks worriedly.

Draco snickers and takes a step forward closing the distance between them again. She tries to keep him away with her arms stretched out in from of her but they don't stop him. He has one hand behind her head and the other arm closed around her shoulders. He kisses her forehead again and Hermione closes her eyes. "Don't worry little one." He says. "It's for sleeping." Hermione nods, and follows him when he takes her hand and leads her to the mattress on the floor. They snuggle under the fluffy blanket together. Hermione, as the little spoon, seems to fit perfectly with her back against Draco, the big spoon. One of his arms is under the pillow under Hermione's neck and the other circles around her protectively pulling her closer to him. Hermione can feel his erection against her bottom but is confident he meant it when he said the mattress was for sleeping only. Of course, if she wanted it, he would not hesitate to take things further she was sure, but she trusts him completely. Why, she doesn't know. With a deep sigh Hermione closes her eyes enjoying the warmth and comfort of the blanket and the boy behind her. Soon after, she falls asleep. Draco lies awake a little longer, smelling her hair, thinking about how lucky he is, for now anyway. He feels so happy he almost forgets he is an escaped prisoner and wanted man. Any second their little hiding place could be discovered and this, whatever this was, could be over. He pulls her even closer against him and slowly falls asleep as well. And they both sleep better than they had for weeks.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm curious what you think, reviews are appreciated.  
**


	22. Christmas wishes

Disclaimer: All credits to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing.

A/N: I hope you are still in the Christmas spirit. It's a small Christmas chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 22: Christmas wishes**

When Draco wakes up he finds Hermione is already gone. He props himself up on his elbows en looks around the cave, it's empty. Where is she? He gets out of bed and walks over to his clothes. They are dry by now but completely wrinkled. Nothing a simple spell can't fix though. He straightens out his shirt and pants and puts them on when he hears a noise behind him and spins around.

"Good morning" Hermione says.

"Morning. What is that?" He asks her nodding at the bag in her hand.

"I got us some breakfast."

"How?"

"Simple, I apparated to a nearby town, used a disillusion charm on my appearance just in case any wizards were around, walked into the first bakery I could find and paid for breakfast." She smiles at him.

"Really? That's it?"

"Uhu, piece of cake."

"You have cake?"

Hermione snickers. "I didn't know what you would like so I got many different things, but not cake."

"I forgive you." He jokes. "After Azkaban, I'll eat anything." He transfigures the bed into a table with two chairs. For a bit neither speaks as they happily consume the breakfast Hermione provided.

"So, I think we should contact Harry and Ron."

"Over my dead body."

"It will be if you don't have a better plan. They can help us."

"I don't think we should contact anyone just yet."

"Why not?"

"There might be a price on our heads."

"I don't doubt there is Draco, but we can't hide out here forever."

"We should try to steal the Daily Prophet somewhere. Figure out where we stand first."

"That's actually a good idea."

"Did you doubt I could have any?"

Hermione smiles at him but doesn't answer.

* * *

10 days later, December 24th

Days go by and Hermione and Draco are still hiding out in the cave. The daily prophet has confirmed there is indeed a price on their heads and Draco doesn't want to contact anyone while Hermione doesn't know what else to do. All they do is bicker about it, and make sure there is food on the table every day. The first night in the cave is never mentioned.

It's early in the morning and Draco is still asleep. Hermione on the other hand, is making herself busy. After ten days in a cold, damp cave, she has had enough. They either have to leave, or make the place more homey. Considering leaving is not an option, the latter it is.

Hermione is quietly humming Christmas songs while she works. The first thing she decides the place needs, is more light. What nicer way to create more light, than by hanging up Christmas decorations. She doesn't know a spell to create Christmas lights, but she is very good at transfiguration spells. A trip into the woods surrounding the cave quickly provides the branches she needs. It takes her about half an hour to transfigure the branches into Christmas decorations and when she is finished, the entire ceiling of the cave has crystal icicles hanging from it. Of course, it's not Christmas without a Christmas tree. Although the woods don't contain the Norway Spruce, the trees traditionally used as Christmas trees, a simple transfiguration spell takes care of this little obstacle. Hermione uses pine cones she colours red, silver and gold to decorate the tree with. More and more ideas come to her and by the time Draco awakes, the entire cave looks like Santa's home. There are lights everywhere and the tree is looking spectacular. The icy ceiling is reflecting the lights beautifully and looks magical.

For a second, Draco thinks he is still dreaming when he sees all the Christmas decorations. A cheery "Good morning!" from Hermione, tells him he is not. Draco grunts and gets out of bed.

"What is all this?" he asks her.

"Christmas decorations, obviously."

"Why are they here?"

"Because it's Christmas and it looks nice."

He grunts again.

Hermione sighs. "What? You don't like it?"

"No."

"Why not?" she crosses her arms.

"It's stupid. Your lights will attract attention."

"No they won't. I made sure you can't see them from outside the cave."

"It's still a stupid holiday." He says as he walks out of the cave with some fresh clothes.

"Grinch." Hermione mutters after him but he is already gone. "Who doesn't love Christmas?"

Half an hour later Draco gets back with wet hair and clean clothes.

"Did your swim make you feel better?" Hermione asks him.

He shrugs. "What's the plan today? You steal breakfast and I steal the daily prophet?"

"Sure. But I was thinking we could also try to get each other a gift."

"What do you mean?"

"For Christmas. We could celebrate it together, tonight."

"Why would we do that?"

"Who else are we going to celebrate it with?"

"How about nobody?"

"Draco..."

"What? I already told you I think Christmas is stupid. I'm not getting you a gift."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Hermione sighs and stomps off.

The rest of the day doesn't get better. Hermione is determined to celebrate Christmas. She will celebrate it with the squirrels and deer if she has to. Draco, however, is determined to ignore the holiday completely.

In the evening, Hermione prepares a true Christmas dinner with roast turkey, roast potatoes, steamed vegetables and Christmas pudding for desert. Draco eats it with her but doesn't say a word, acting like it is any other dinner.

"What is wrong with you?" Hermione asks him slightly irritated while she is eating her pudding.

"Nothing."

"Really? Why the long face all day then?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He says staring at his pudding and scooping up a big bite.

"I understand you would rather have spent the holiday with someone else." Hermione tells him. "But I'm trying the best I can out of our situation."

"And what situation is that?" Draco asks her.

Hermione is taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"Define our situation." He stares at her now, arms crossed and leaning forward onto the table.

Hermione is confused. "I mean on the run from the Aurors, unable to contact anyone we care about and would have rather spend Christmas with."

"What if I wouldn't have wanted to spend Christmas with anyone else?" He asks.

She snorts. "I would say you are full of shit." She says and for the first time that day he actually smiles. He enjoys it when he rattles her enough to get some swear words out of her. Hermione on the other hand, is pissed. "I'm doing the best I can Draco. It's not like you are very clear about what you want."

"I think I was perfectly clear ten days ago but you pretend it didn't happen." He snaps.

Hermione stares at him at a loss for words.

"I wanted you." He tells her, but his voice has lost the angry tone.

"Wanted?" she asks softly.

"Want. I want you."

Hermione stares down at her hands. "I can't." She tells him without looking up.

"You can't what?"

"This. Us. That first night was a mistake. I wasn't thinking straight. I had broken you out of prison, we were running for our lives, for all I knew we could be discovered the next day and send to Azkaban or worse. I was acting on adrenaline and I was wrong."

Neither speaks for a moment. Hermione keeps staring at her hands and Draco keeps staring at her.

"Can you say that while looking at me?" he asks.

Slowly but determined, she looks up. "I can't do this." She says.

Draco gets up and walks over to her side of the table and looks down at her. He doesn't say anything. He doesn't have to. It's making her nervous and she gets up and stands behind her chair as if hiding behind it although it doesn't reach higher than her chest, it ensures some distance between herself and Draco. He looks at her intently and pulls the chair away from her. He steps forward and she takes a step back. Draco smirks. Hermione is staring to fidget with her sleeve. Another step from Draco and Hermione backs away again. A few more steps like this and Draco has Hermione backed against the wall. He is towering over her and Hermione refuses to look him in the eye. He is standing so close. Hermione holds her breath, unsure what to do. Every time Draco inhales, his chest touches hers. Every time he exhales, there is the tiniest bit of space between them. Draco leans down and Hermione shivers as she feels his breath on her neck.

"Are you saying you don't have any feelings for me?" he whispers in her ear.

Hermione swallows but doesn't answer.

With his index finger and middle finger below her chin, Draco forces Hermione to look at him and repeats the question. She stares at him, heart beating fast and still holding her breath. Then, he kisses her. It takes Hermione a moment to register what is happening but then she kisses him back. When he feels Hermione responding, Draco deepens the kiss. He holds her close to him and she wraps her arms around his neck. They kiss for what seems like forever. When they finally break apart, he leans his forehead against hers. Neither opens their eyes and neither breaks their embrace. Hermione sighs.

"Maybe I do have feelings for you." She admits in a whisper.

He smiles. This is all he wanted for Christmas.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. I'm sorry it takes me longer than a week lately to write new chapters. I'm doing my best. Happy new year!**


	23. The odd old couple

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

 **Chapter 23: The odd old couple**

"One espresso please." Harry informs the waitress of a small Muggle restaurant. He looks outside the window as he sits in the corner by the window. It's not snowing yet but it is definitely getting cold outside. Then he hears a voice beside him

"Excuse me sir. Could we sit here?"

Harry looks up. An old couple is standing there.

"Oh, umm, I'm sorry" he stammers. "I'm waiting for someone actually?"

"Please sir. Every other table is full."

Harry looks around at the nearly empty restaurant. There is no more than 10 people there, including the three of them and the staff. Before Harry can argue the couple takes the seats opposite Harry.

"Anything interesting in the paper today?" The woman asks pointing at the Muggle newspaper which has the Daily Prophet sticking out slightly.

"Nothing new." Harry answers politely, wondering if it would be rude if he got up and sat down at a different table.

"Well, I've read that your friend has gotten herself into quite a bit of trouble, Mr. Potter."

Harry eyes the woman in front of him suspiciously. "You know who I am?"

"Of course I do." The woman smiles broadly. "We've known each other for years, ever since our first year at Hogwarts together!" He looks her over one more time. Sleek grey hair tied back into a knot. A silk blouse and pencil skirt underneath a warm winter coat. She could be any old lady. Then he notices her eyes. Fiery brown eyes not at all like those of an old woman. For one thing, the white of her eyes was still completely white. Then he realises it.

"Hermione?" He whispers leaning forward.

"No dear." She says while nodding yes. "My name is Harriett Wick." She winks at him.

Draco extends his hand. "Wick. Ed." He says grinning at his own joke. Hermione rolls her eyes.

Harry looks at him but doesn't take his hand. "Malfoy." He mutters.

"Now that the introductions are out of the way..." Hermione starts, eager to draw Harry's attention away from Draco. "Let's discuss business. I didn't risk our lives sending that owl to meet us here for nothing. First things first, how is everyone? Did my actions have any fallback on any of you?"

Harry shakes his head. "They questioned us is all."

Hermione feels relieved.

"What were you thinking?" Harry demands. "Releasing him? Are you out of your mind?"

"I didn't plan it. It just happened."

"Oh please, you don't free a prisoner of Azkaban by accident. Why did you go there in the first place?"

"I needed answers."

"Couldn't you send an owl?"

"Harry, you know I couldn't. They were about to give him the Dementors kiss for Merlin's sake. There was no time."

"Hermione"

"Harriett" she corrects him, looking around if anyone heard him. "We don't want to be overheard!" she hisses.

"Harriett, you are in real trouble. You might be facing time in Azkaban as well!"

"I've realized that. That is why we need your help. I need you to ask Mr. Weasley to poke around at the ministry for us and see what we are facing."

"No need. I took the job they offered me as an Auror. I am one of the people tasked with finding you."

"Harry, what about school?"

"You want to talk about that now or do you want to figure out a way to come home safe?"

Hermione shoots him a look clearly saying the matter isn't settled yet, but both of them know that after his job helps her she can't exactly argue with him about taking it anymore.

"Do you have a plan?" Harry asks her.

"Well. I think it best we hand ourselves in, and explain ourselves. I can testify on Draco's behalf, and I was hoping you might testify on mine. The word of the saviour surely means a lot." She says hopefully.

Draco, who has so far kept to himself and let Harry and Hermione speak, could no longer keep his mouth shut. "Excuse me? That is your plan? Turn us in and hope for the best?"

"Well, yes. I'm sure they would see sense once we speak to them."

"You have lost your marbles!"

"Hey!" Harry protests but Hermione holds up her hand to silence her friend.

"Why would we take the risk? I was sentenced to die once; they won't hesitate to do it again. We are free. We can go anywhere, a different continent maybe. They'll never find us."

"Draco, I can't leave everything behind. My entire life is here, my friends."

"I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by just leaving."

"Then go." Harry interrupts. "Nobody is stopping you."

"No don't!" Hermione says and grabs Draco's arm. "We have a good chance if we turn ourselves in right now. Don't leave."

They stare intently into each others eyes. Harry is looking back and forth between the two of them. Suddenly it dawns on him. "You two are together aren't you?" he asks them.

"It's complicated." They say in unison.

Harry sighs. "I can pull some strings and get you in front of the Wizengamot today if you so choose. I need to use the restroom. You two talk."

Neither Hermione nor Draco speaks as they watch Harry's retreating form. Hermione is the first to break the silence. "Please come with me Draco."

"Why don't you come with me? Go far away and never think of all this again."

"You know I can't!"

"You're asking me to give up my freedom." He exclaims.

"You would be dead if it wasn't for me."

"That is a foul move."

Hermione looks up at him, working her puppy eyes for the second time today.

"Don't do that. You fight dirty."

She doesn't stop.

He sighs. "You will be the death of me woman." He grunts and Hermione knows she has won.

.

* * *

.

Harry instructs the unlikely pairing in front of him to meet him back in this very restaurant at three and promises to have everything ready by then. The hours go by faster than Hermione imagined they would. They are both nervous as the wait. Harry, never being known to be the most punctual person, actually arrives on time.

"Ready?" He asks looking at Hermione and Draco, who still look like the old couple. They nod. Harry grabs Hermione's hand, and Hermione takes Draco's hand with her free one.

"Let's do this." Harry says and apparates the three of them to the ministry of magic. Although Harry has done everything he could to keep today's events quiet, he wasn't surprised to see the crowd of people surrounding the fountain in the lobby. It was merely a dream to keep the news that the escaped death eater and war heroine turned prison breaker would be arriving at the ministry today for a hearing quiet. Luckily, the disillusion charm is still in place making it seem like Harry is escorting an elderly couple through the ministry.

When they enter the courtroom, Hermione's mouth drops. There are more people waiting for them than she can count. It seems like the entire ministry has gathered in this one room.

Harry gives Hermione an encouraging squeeze in her hand. "You will be fine. I won't let anything happen to you."

Hermione nods.

"Can you promise me the same?" Draco asks sarcastically.

Harry looks at him, then says "Good luck you two." Then he walks away to take his seat. Hermione removes the disillusion charm off of both of them and looks at Draco. He squeezes her hand as well before walking into the courtroom with his head held high. After taking a deep breath, Hermione follows him.

.

* * *

.

Hermione is sentenced rather quickly. The word of the infamous Harry Potter is worth a lot these days. Some community service is all she is given. It will not even be that bad, she will have to work for the ministry for six months to make up for the time she has cost the ministry and pay back the damages she has inflicted by stealing a boat and breaking out of Azkaban. Hermione get's off easy. Draco on the other hand, is not so lucky.

"Please." Hermione begs. "I am telling you he is not a bad person. He had no choice taking the dark mark and he had no choice torturing me. The only reason he was in Azkaban was because of my testimony and I am telling you I forgive him and I understand why he had to do it."

"Enough, Ms. Granger." The new minister for magic says. "Mr. Malfoy has been found guilty of being a death eater and acting out the wishes of the Dark Lord. He will be punished accordingly."

"He had no choice! Why don't you understand? I will take Veritaserum to prove I am telling the truth." Hermione continues to get more desperate by the minute.

"Were you there when Mr. Malfoy took the dark mark?"

"No." Hermione shakes her head.

"Then how do you know the choices he has made? You are a foolish young girl. Mr. Malfoy could have easily told you tales to make you vouch for him. Veritaserum won't matter. Just because you believe something to be so, doesn't make it true."

"I am not foolish." Her desperation is starting to make way for anger.

"Make him take the Veritaserum then!" Hermione points at Draco who shoots her a scared look. He is not sure Veritaserum will help his cause. His is guilty on most accounts after all, no matter the motivation behind his actions.

"Very well." The minister decides. "Mr. Potter, would you please fetch some Veritaserum?" Harry nods and quickly runs out of the room.

Draco is seriously worried at this point. He should have just left the country and never come back. Why did he have to stay? Why did he have to follow her? ' _You know why_.' A voice inside his head is telling him.

Within a few minutes Harry returns. The minister gestures for Harry to walk up to him. Harry hands him the bottle and he sniffs at it. He nods and returns the bottle to Harry. Upon orders of the minister Harry hands the bottle of Veritaserum to Draco.

"Please take the Veritaserum Mr. Malfoy, or let this hearing be over and you will be sentenced as you were before."

Well, that isn't much of a choice is it? Draco thinks to himself and downs the whole bottle. He takes a deep breath to brace himself for what is coming.

"Excellent." The minister says. "Mr. Malfoy, you have previously been found guilty of associating yourself with so-called Death Eaters. Were you a Death Eater, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Yes." Draco answers truthfully.

"Very well. You have been found guilty of torturing Ms. Granger here." He says pointing at Hermione who is nervously chewing her nails. "Did you use the Cruciatus curse on Ms. Granger?"

"Yes." Draco looks at the floor.

"And did you, mister Malfoy, ever perform any unforgivable curse on anyone else?"

Draco hesitates but knows he has no choice but to answer. "Yes." He states.

"That settles it then. Ms. Granger, as you have heard, Mr. Malfoy confesses to his crimes. You are not the only person he has used an unforgivable curse on. Therefore, your forgiveness will not be enough to release him from the consequences of his actions."

"Wait!" Hermione exclaims. "Please sir, could I ask him some questions as well?"

Draco's head snaps to her. What is she up to?

The minister of magic looks intrigued. "By all means." He gestures for her to go ahead.

Hermione walks over to Draco and stops right in front of him.

"Trust me" she mouths as she sees his fear stricken expression. "Draco, were you ever tortured by the Cruciatus curse yourself?"

"Yes."

"Who inflicted that curse on you?"

"Lord Voldemort."

Hermione nods. "Were you ever threatened should you refuse to follow the dark lord's plans?"

"Yes. He threatened to kill me regularly."

"Just you?"

"No. He threatened my family. If I were to disobey or fail, he would torture or kill my family in front of me."

Hermione is going out on a limb with her next question.

"Has the dark lord ever proven his threats were real, and hurt someone you care about?"

Draco nods slowly, his face hardening. "He has used the Cruciatus curse on my mother to persuade me to join his ranks."

"Has someone other than the Dark Lord ever pushed you to follow orders?"

"My father. He kept reminding me of the consequences, for all of us, should I get on Voldemorts bad side."

"Draco, do you believe Muggleborn witches and wizards are inferior to pure-blood witches and wizards?"

He had told her he no longer believed it, but now, under the influence of the potion, she will learn if he spoke the truth. Without realising it she holds her breath until he looks her straight in the eye, and denies her statement. She lets go of her breath and smiles at him. One more question, she feels is in order.

"Draco, do you regret your actions as a Death Eater?"

"Yes. More than I could ever express with words."

Hermione nods at Draco, then turns around and looks up at the minister of Magic. Surely, this would help his case. Wouldn't it?

After about eight excruciatingly long minutes, the minister of magic finally declares his final sentence.

"Mr. Malfoy, considering your testimony here today, and the support you receive from not one, but two of the war heroes, among which are Harry Potter himself and one of the people you have harmed, we have decided to not send you to Azkaban prison. However, you have inflicted harm and used unforgivable curses. Despite Ms. Granger forgiving you, the Wizengamot cannot. You will be in debt to the Ministry of magic for life. You will be required to work of your debt at the ministry in the exchange for minimum wage, and your freedom. This is our final decision."

Hermione can't believe it. They did it! They are actually free! She runs towards Draco and without thinking about what the entire ministry of magic looking down on them might think of it, she flings her arms around him and hugs him. Tears are quietly running down her face and she smiles at Draco. He smiles back at her, still letting this new information sink in. He is free. He is not going to die. He is not going to Azkaban. He will have to work for the ministry, but he is free to live his life. His smile widens and he picks Hermione up and kisses her right there in the middle of the courtroom.

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 **Thank you for reading. Reviews are appreciated.**


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